


Rose-Tinted Insecurities [ Volume 1 ]

by strxwbrry_jam



Series: The Akira Chronicles [1]
Category: Akira (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Disturbing Themes, Drama, Drug Use, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff, Gang Violence, Graphic depictions of violence - Freeform, Guns, Mental Health Issues, Nihilism, Nudity, Past Rape/Non-con, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Romance, Science Fiction, Smoking, Supernatural Elements, Swearing, Tragedy, Trauma, Unhealthy Relationships, androphobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-25
Updated: 2020-04-07
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:07:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 30
Words: 65,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22894606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strxwbrry_jam/pseuds/strxwbrry_jam
Summary: Proving anything to be normal in the city of Neo-Tokyo is rendered futile, and that’s a fact 16-year-old Ranze Hayasaka could verify. With daily cases of rape, protests, and gang-violence, no one can find the happy silver-lining in such a tainted, complex city. That is, which Ranze believes until she unwillingly joins the young Shoutarou Kaneda’s biker gang. Albeit hesitant at first (and particularly cold to all the young delinquents) she gradually grows more loyal to this new affiliation, and even discreetly having feelings for the charming leader... but with the traumatizing and violent obstacles in the way, fighting can only be seen as an option.The story of a salty, bitter girl who regains her hope all thanks to a certain boisterous delinquent boy.
Relationships: Kaneda Shoutarou / Original Character
Series: The Akira Chronicles [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1679344
Comments: 45
Kudos: 33





	1. Chapter 1

Ranze laid on the cold, harsh tile of the dormitory she had shared with two other girls, one of the two she couldn’t be bothered to get to know. The other, thankfully, a likeable, eager girl who had been her age. If the tired teenager could recall, her name had been Kaori. The two had crossed paths periodically, but simply shared only idle chatter, yet it was still considered social interaction, interaction Ranze could only be so grateful for.

She listened to the consistent sound of the water dropping from the leaking, rusty faucet, pattering into the sink. The soft, repetitive sound echoing through her eardrums as her mind slowly went lax, her shiny, ebony black hair sprawled messily across the ground surrounding her head, similar to that of a halo. Her eyes, so dark of a brown, were half-open and dreamy, glancing into the distance of the dormant room. 

Ranze sighed softly as she felt a sharp pain in her neck before slowly, but surely, sitting up, her hair tangled and unkept. Ranze didn’t quite possibly remember the night before, and didn’t have any intent to dwell on it. She had a habit of leaving things not to be dealt with, as she had no shame to own up to it. 

She stood up slowly and leaned against the dirty counter, littered with empty cups, puddles of liquids, and plenty of crumbs. She cracked her knuckles, joint by joint, her mind wandering as she tried to remember the date.  Oh, yes... I go to school today, just like everyone else,  Ranze recalled internally as she ventured off to her room to get herself ready for the day ahead of her.

She slid off the loose white tank top from her tiny body, and the distressed olive-green shorts, before swapping it out her old underwear with cleaner, proper underwear. Ranze opted to wear a black turtleneck, and a plaid beige skirt, which reached her upper legs. She knew the consequences of walking around like that will trigger the ravenous behaviours of a certain set of skirt-chasers. The image of them all drooling over the sight of a girl’s bare thighs was worthy of grimacing shake of her head, trying to not think of it. Personally, Ranze didn’t crave the attention, but dawning attire of this sort was like a second-skin, and she certainly wasn’t going to give it up for a bunch of a low-life deviants. 

Once she was clad in a protective, familiar layer of clothing, she made her way back into the main room of the dormitory, her feet feeling grounded to the cool tile. She glanced at the electronic clock from across the room.  8:25, I can surely make it. It doesn’t matter very much, anyway, it’s a delinquent school. I don’t believe anyone pays anything to mind , she thought bitterly as she slipped on a pair of black chunky combat boots, over the black knee-high socks that were tightly secured to the smooth, scarred porcelain skin of her legs. 

Ranze snatched her faded, jet black satchel with various badges stuck onto the top flap of it. Badges she’d collected from thrift stores, throughout the city, and in the bar the drunkards left while she was on her late-night shifts. It was only at those times Ranze could remain as a mistress to the fools that passed in and out of the bar, each one either disrespecting her personal boundaries, or simply ignoring her. 

Ranze kept her personal and business life to herself, if you would even call her night job an occupation to be “professional” about. She was simply a co-bartender at the local run-down bar, selling booze to the scum of the city. 

She looked out the tiny window, overlooking the dirtied roads of Neo-Tokyo, watching the vehicles move by faster than how she could register the fact she would be off to school in a matter of time. This. This sincerely bothered her. She was internally infuriated at how she couldn’t come to terms with anything or at least anyone. This anger motivated her to get better, better than all those filthy delinquents and corrupted politicians, but she had no strong voice that could people the opportunity to even acknowledge who she was. She was only a simple, nonchalant teenager with a distorted perception of the world around, a perception that left the worst taste in her mouth, yet she had nothing to wash that taste out of her mouth. 

“I’ll be off, then”. She called out to the empty room, knowing she had no one to say it to, no one to bid her a proper goodbye. This feeling of otherness with the world around her ... it was angering. But she left the dorm soon after calling out, leaving the empty dormitory, as well as her nihilistic approach to the first day of school.

“Honestly, the school is a complete mess! But I hear the boys are  really something else...”

“Oh, tell me about it... They’re all in biker gangs but some of them are real dreamboats!”

Ranze bit her lip as she reached the premises of the Eighth District Youth Vocational Training School. She hesitantly glanced up at the school at first, but shook her head discreetly, stepping officially onto the property, ready to comply with everything this school brought her way. Well,  nearly everything. 

Ranze shivered as she felt the cool breeze hit her, her bones shuddered and felt weightless. She didn’t feel squeamish, just unfamiliar with everything. She had only been in the courtyard for mere seconds, possibly even minutes if she counted them correctly, but it beckoned an aching of unfamiliarity in her bones. 

But hidden in the midst of this new feeling, was an underlying pulse of excitement. She was excited to finally be able to be outside, and not be smoking a cigarette on the floor of her bedroom for once. She was outside, properly doing something. Even if it was this juvenile school, plastered with scribbles of graffiti and cases upon case of vandalism, it was a step to not being so bitter all the time, perhaps a new chance at redemption for herself. It was like a new spark of difference she hoped for in her bleak, boring life. 

“Hayasaka-san! I had a feeling you weren’t going to come, I was a bit anxious...” A voice reached out to her. Kaori, the aforementioned roommate of Ranze’s, who had been kind enough to point out her presence and strike up a conversation.

“Oh, Kaori... Hi... I didn’t think you’d reach out to me like this. Thank you, that’s very nice of you to do”. Ranze spoke softly, triggering a shy smile from Kaori. 

“You looked lonely, it was the least I could do...” Her voice was so tiny and timid, Ranze had trouble picking it up, but was able assume a fair portion of what the younger girl had said to her. 

“Ah, I see.” Was all Ranze could say.

Feeling a little flustered, Kaori let out a nervous laugh. “I can’t really find my... erm... ‘friend’... he usually shows up late like his other friends...”

“A delinquent, is he?” Ranze enquired, not giving any sort of fuck over any sort of delinquent that ventured into her life, even if he was associated with her friend. 

“I-I mean... He simply sticks around with them, he’s childhood friends with their leader”. She said, a pool of nervousness consuming her being. 

“Right...” Ranze said with a hint of skepticism, not fully knowing the set of ruffians Kaori was so heavily affiliated with.

[ ♡ ]

The two girls took a walk around the courtyard, utilizing the free time they still had yet to cling onto, before they had to go off to their separate classes. Kaori’s nose and cheeks were flushed red, sparking Ranze’s hidden curiosity. 

They went to an empty spot on the courtyard, and sat on the bench that had been previously littered with swastika’s, crudely-drawn penises, and stains of that remained unidentified. 

“I believe this the perfect spot to talk freely”. Ranze said to Kaori, who sat down hesitantly on the bench. 

Nothing felt new to Kaori, Ranze could only speculate. The stains, the graffiti, the crude vandalism, the school as a whole. Ranze knew how accustomed Kaori was to this environment, it was just like everywhere else in Neo-Tokyo. Poorly maintained and run with corruption. 

The two girls see a young man walking their way, or for a lack of better description, sliding like that of a zombie in their direction. Ranze lurched back and held back an unpleasant groan, though Kaori looked unfazed, quite bored to be exact. 

The drunk lad moved closer to them, each shaking step left Ranze to dread what had been yet to come for the two girls and this odd stranger. Luckily, he collapsed onto the ground, unconscious and intoxicated.

Ranze got up and reached into his pocket, taking his wallet and stripping the wallet of all the cash that had been living inside of it. She then paused after hearing the sound of boot-clad feet stomping on the pavement, coming closer to her. 

“HEY, YOU BITCH! DON’T TAKE HIS CASH!” A voice called to her, menacing and deep. ‘I don’t believe I have any sort of way of getting out of this’,  she thought negatively as she didn’t even bother to look up at the gangster whom had called her out. 

Ranze quickly slid the wad of cash down into her turtleneck, into the cup of her bra before the juvenile’s trip to her was complete, which she stood up to face him with all honesty. He growled and grabbed her by the thick fabric of her turtleneck, lifting her up with ease. It was now that Ranze could catch a good observation of his features. He was tall, slim albeit muscular, and had a menacing, rough aura that greatly plagued him, which was obvious that he used it well to his advantage. He had black, straight hair and dawned a red shirt with ripped sleeves, with a blue tank top on top that had the Rising Sun Flag plastered on it.

“Don’t scuffle with me in broad daylight, you fool...” She hissed calmly, her dark chocolate eyes battling viciously in a staring contest with his ebony ones. 

He only growled even louder, displaying quite visual anger towards her.

“Well, I’m sorry, you tramp. I’m only lookin’ out for my drunkard of a buddy. Protectin’ him from pickpockets like yourself who don’t seem to get a clue...” These words didn’t seem to make Ranze budge a tad, the money still remained safe in the cup of her bra. 

“Yamagata.. You can quit it now.. You would’ve done the same thing if you had the opportunity to...” Kaori mumbled softly, twiddling her thumbs nervously as she stood up, innocence lacing through her tiny voice.

Yamagata roughly threw Ranze onto the ground, emitting a yelp from the once nonchalant thief. Yamagata lifted his buddy from the ground and carried him on his back, glaring at Ranze like a ravenous predator. “Dumb broad...” He mumbled quietly to himself. 

“YAMAGATA! DID YOU GET WATANABE YET?! THAT DUMB BASTARD DITCHED US—“ A new voice loudly asked the muscular gangster.

“Yeah, I got him. Some whore took pickpocketed him, she’s friends with Kaori, I think”. Yamagata turned to his other friend, and nodded his head towards Ranze, who was still left dazed on the ground, her eyes half-open and tired. 

The boy in question, dawned a red and blue rugby shirt, highly distressed jeans, and worn-out white sneakers. His hair was an ebony black, and blew effortlessly in the wind and was complimented with his intense dark eyes, which were now observing Ranze. The boy was significantly shorter than his accomplice, but he was still intimidating with his stance, but Ranze was convinced she wouldn’t let them get to her. 

“I swear, coming to school gets worse when dumbasses like you get in the way of me and my gang!” He hissed at Ranze, walking closer to her, his eyes narrowing at her and a clear frown was shown on his face.

“I don’t think this would be considered ‘getting in your way’. No proper gang would let a girl like myself throw them off with a crime so minuscule as pickpocketing”. Ranze responded, standing up and dusting herself off calmly. 

“I always look out for my members, that’s how good of a leader I am. Not like you’d understand, you bitch!” The boy ‘subtly’ bragged. 

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, Kaneda. Any of us could replace you and it wouldn’t make a difference”. Spoke another voice, this one a lot less loud and more spiteful. 

“S-Shima-kun! There you are!” Kaori squeaked as she moved to the boy’s side eagerly, as it was very obvious she had missed him. 

“Why are you so bitter, Tetsuo? Don’t be mad just because you don’t get to lead us all”. The other boy laughed loudly, the corners of his eyes crinkling charmingly as he laughed like he was told the funniest joke ever. 

“Whatever.” The spiteful boy spat out as he moved away from the scene with Kaori, abandoning whatever that was left of this conversation. 

“Anyways, you. You were with Tetsuo’s girl. Are you two friends? Please don’t tell me I have to know another broad’s name”.

His words stung, like bullets repeatedly being shot at her. But the intimidation that was previously there had somewhat subsided with the humour that had been provided by Tetsuo, leaving Ranze somewhat relieved. 

“I am her friend, her roommate, to be exact. And my name shouldn’t graze the lips of someone like yourself, you fool”. She responded, ever so nonchalantly. 


	2. Caught in The Ring of Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆...
> 
> Ranze ventures off to the Eighth District Youth Vocational School, to increase the hopes of achieving a more stable social life. She’s greeted by her kind roommate, Kaori, and the two exchange idle chatter. It is only mere moments before they reunite that a certain drunkard stumbles over to them, before passing out unexpectedly. Ranze quickly pickpockets him before she’s caught red-handed by the young man’s comrade, where she’s apprehended. It is only then when she’s introduced to Shima Tetsuo, and Yamagata, along with a third mysterious boy who interrogates her demandingly.
> 
> With such a vast amount of decisions on how to face these deviants, Ranze is left in bewilderment and with an inability to decipher Kaori’s affiliation with these boys and their true intentions...

“I am her friend, her roommate, to be exact. And my name shouldn’t graze the lips of someone like yourself, you fool”.

It was far past the point of no return with her words, and all Ranze could do was hold her breath in anticipation, biting on her tongue nervously. She was simply a sitting duck in this scenario, and she convinced herself she would sincerely worthy of a slap to the face, especially after saying such a brash, abrupt statement. Her heart felt heavy, yet her bones felt weightless, it appeared that nothing from the outside was registering in her head.

“I should probably be scared, but damn, you’re just a cold bitch!” The boy responded, scratching the back of his head as his eyebrows furrowed. Ranze couldn’t quite choose between the possibilities of him being angry or simply frazzled, as she stood motionless. 

The sound of the clicking of a lighter grabbed Ranze’s attention once again, as she looked to see the boy lighting a cigarette, before taking a drag from it. Ranze was clearly expecting a hurl of insults coming her way and was simply just waiting, waiting for the abuse her body was going to soak up like a sponge. And perhaps... maybe she could shoot it right back out at them, albeit in her own tantalizing, witty language.

“Why are you standing there like that? Are you fucking deaf?”

Ranze sighed softly and shook her head. “No, I’m thinking whether or not your friends are willing to follow an egomaniac. Especially the one back there looked especially sceptical with you as their leader”. She spoke with venom seething through her words, her lips moving as her words slid to attack the boy.

The string of cold-blooded words that’d left her mouth infuriated the boy, as it seemed. He growled and threw the cigarette, rendering it futile as it hit the ground. He stormed up to her, his fists clenched with anger, this behaviour followed up with a tiny, stocky boy trying to catch up with the enraged delinquent, but it was no use. He was a provoked bull, and Ranze was the poor fool slathered in red. 

‘ I know I’ve done it now. I’m chopped meat,” was the phrase that Ranze chanted continuously through her brain, sending terrible mental tremors, it felt like it was over.

[ ♡ ]

ＫＡＮＥＤＡ

Kaneda stormed up to the seemingly paralyzed girl with aggressiveness, his intentions unclear. Whether they were murderous or not, he was still seething with anger. He knew he shouldn’t get hung up over a nobody of a girl he’d just met, he’d never even see her before, yet he provoked her like she was playing the violin, with expertise and elegance. 

He couldn’t piece together why this triggered such a reaction from him, especially out of the blue, right when he was feeling so calm. Surely, he would always be so violent, either teasingly with his friends or seriously with members of their rival gang, The Clowns. Either way, it’d end with the receiving end beaten to a pulp, and this girl wasn’t any different. She struck something in him that made him self-conscious. He thought it was always Tetsuo who’d say such spiteful things, but now knowing even a complete outsider noticed this made him uneasy.

He wasn’t going to go out riding that night without this solved, and that was for certain. 

As he got closer, he got a better look at her features. Her pale complexion went possibly even paler than it had previously been. Her eyes were a deep chestnut, similar to his eyes, yet her eyes carried an element of misery and tiredness. Her hair was shiny, and black, with seemingly purple undertones that added to her mysterious presentation of herself. 

Kaneda barrelled into the girl, knocking her against the wall, holding her up by her turtleneck. She let out an enraged shriek, yet she didn’t bother to squirm as he had pinned her against the wall, she remained composed but her eyebrows were furrowed with distaste. Kaneda gripped her shirt tighter, his knuckles easing into a lighter and lighter colour by the second, threatening to go white, yet his rough gaze bore into her.

“You say those things to me, you obviously don’t play nice, well neither do I!” He looked at her, her eyes putting up an equal fight with his: in a vicious staring contest. 

The raven-haired girl pursed her lips and looked at her assailant with a demanding look in her eyes. “What!? Do you want something from me, you wench?!” He voiced out to her in complete annoyance.

“Oh, no...” The girl put her hand on his face and pushed his head back, increasing what was once a relatively small distance between their faces. “I just don’t want your face any closer to mine.” 

Her sudden move was enough for Kaneda to surrender and let her go, dropping her. He gazed down at her, watching her get up and dust herself off nonchalantly. She shoved past him rudely, her long hair swishing with her movements as she walked off without saying anything else. ‘Who does think she is... Talking to me like that? I wonder if she’s even friends with Tetsuo, maybe she got it from him!’ He thought to himself, questioning the interaction he just shared with the raven-haired beauty.

“Who even is that chick?” Kaisuke questioned as he walked closer to Kaneda, fiddling with the spare wrench he kept with him just “emergency purposes”, as he said in his own words. Kaneda could only shrug.

“She’s Kaori’s friend. Her name is Hayasaka Ranze. She’s our age.”

“How could you possibly know?” Kaneda whipped his head around to look at Tetsuo, the whom delivered the information to his friend snobbishly. 

“Kaori simply just told me, don’t act so surprised!” Tetsuo hissed back.

“Hey! You shouldn’t be talking to your elders in such a way, Tetsuo!” The older boy teased as a smirk grew on his face, wagging his fingering mockingly at his younger comrade.

Tetsuo rolled his eyes, not bothering to engage in the conversation any longer. Kaneda looked back at the moving silhouette of Ranze, her body getting tinier as she moved further and further away from them. 

“Anyways, we should all get to class. It doesn’t even matter if we’re late, but whatever. Being out here reeks...” Tetsuo spat on the ground and began to walk away with Kaisuke. Kaneda still seemed grounded to the pavement, not even itching to move a millimetre. 

“Are you coming, Kaneda?”

Kaneda looked up at the sky and nodded slowly. His thoughts were wandering aimlessly. “Yeah, save me the spot near the window! I gotta watch over my bike if it gets stolen!” He called out to Yamagata.

“I’ll only save it if you buy me a beer after school! You still owe me!” Yamagata called back, running to Kaisuke and Tetsuo, who were entering the dirty facility.

Kaneda bit his lower lip and frustration. “WHATEVER! JUST SAVE ME THE SPOT!” He yelled, clearly annoyed now. If anything, Kaneda wasn’t in the mood to repay favours, especially after finding out he’d have to be getting used to the face who mocked him earlier on. It appeared nothing seemed to even be looking up for him, but nonetheless, he followed his friends into the building. 

[ ♡ ]

ＲＡＮＺＥ

“The way you talked to Kaneda like that... I’ve never seen any girl point out something like that!” Kaori told Ranze about their very current altercation with The Capsules, the name their delinquent group went by which could only earn a grimacing look from Ranze when the name was first brought to her ears.

“Has he not been talked to like that?” Ranze questioned the bewildered girl, her eyebrow raised and her head cocked to the side. 

“I don’t think so...” Kaori recalled as she leaned her head on Ranze’s shoulder, tapping her finger against her chin quizzically.

“He has an odd personality.” Ranze pointed out, gazing out the window tiredly, her eyes hazed with fatigue.

“I haven’t talked with him much, so I don’t think I can assume.” Kaori shrugged and yawned. 

As the two girls were talking, the doors to the classroom opened. And there, in there intimidating glory, were The Capsules. It appeared their leader noticed the two girls immediately and growled.

“Hey, you!” He called out to them but mostly directed to Ranze. He climbed up the stairs to where they were sitting and went to his new opponent. 

“Me?” Ranze pointed to herself, her eyebrows raised in surprise and in complete bewilderment. 

“Yes, you! Just because you slid past me like that doesn’t mean you’ll always get the best of me! You must be younger than me, after all!” He responded, pointing to her brashly. 

“...And?” She responded bluntly, sighing softly out of annoyance. 

“Well, you’ll meet your maker if you meddle with our Kaneda like the way you do,” Yamagata said as he stormed up behind Kaneda, having his friend’s back in the odd situation.

“Oh, you dumbasses!” Tetsuo complained, as he threw his head back and groaned, annoyed at the sudden encounter with his girlfriend and her new friend. 


	3. Bitter Meetings and Midnight Greetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆...
> 
> The mysterious boy continues to pry at Ranze’s thoughts, before Ranze suddenly snaps at him, easily angering the boy. With his strength, he tries getting a message out to her, albeit trying to hide his very mildly wounded pride. Ranze inevitably breaks free from his grasp and moves away from him, leaving him astonished but infuriated. With all things left as a mess, their situation could only grow even worse, as they soon find out The Capsules and Ranze (along with her friendly companion, Kaori) are in the same class. 
> 
> It is only now that Ranze can find her silver-lining with this unnamed boy and his rowdy delinquent friends.

After Tetsuo’s sudden outburst of displeasure, they all had peeped down, albeit seemingly. The classroom was still left rowdy, the teacher trying to get a word in but the peanut gallery of ruffians begged to differ, as they were appeared to be in their own worlds. Smoking discreetly, tussling, kissing, and breaking stationery, leaving the classroom looking terribly disarranged with a potent, foul odour that made Ranze’s nose sting. 

Ranze kept her head down, her eyes solemn and displaying a very well hidden distaste for the environment she had been so unlucky to be placed in, but she’d known it could’ve been worse if she had no sort of friend like Kaori at her side. 

“Are you okay?” Kaori suddenly asked, which elicited a slow nod from Ranze, albeit Ranze stubbornly kept her head down. 

Ranze watched from the corner of her eye as Kaori sat back and to observe her, but it was highly unlikely she’d notice anything remotely “odd” Ranze had to offer from her appearance or even her mannerisms. She dressed conservatively, with the minor exception of her skirt, which hadn’t gathered too much attention to her so far, much to her relief. 

Ranze’s clever and quick tongue was able to push her through the start of the day, and even through that unprecedented encounter. It eased her soul knowing she was able to handle mostly on her own, knowing she didn’t endanger Kaori or any other bystanders made her mind subsequently more tranquil than it’d previously been. 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Kaori asked once again, worry lacing through her voice, her eyebrows furrowed slightly as she peered over to her.

“Yes, I’m okay. Don’t mind me.” Ranze had finally looked up and smiled softly at Kaori reassuringly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. 

“Hey, Ranze, is it?” A short, squeaky boy asked from behind them, leaning over brazenly. “How old are you, Ranze?”

“I don’t know y—“

“She’s sixteen,” Kaori answered for her before Ranze could finish her sentence. Ranze raised an eyebrow at the smaller girl, making her jump a bit and let out a nervous giggle. “Ah, my bad...”

“I asked Ranze, didn’t I?” Their classmate glared at Kaori, narrowing his eyes at her. 

“You look kinda familiar... Have I seen you before?” Once again, the mysterious ringleader of their gang asked Ranze, who had been frazzled by the sudden interaction, especially with the question he’d directed to her. 

“I have a common face,” Ranze said as she twirled her pencil, her eyes trying to focus on anything that wasn’t him.

“Really? I’ve seen you somewhere, I’m sure of it.” The boy then jumped down from his seat next to her, moving his face closer to Ranze’s. It was then she could smell the stinging, tobacco on his breath. Not only tobacco, but Ranze could smell another compelling odour. This boy reeked of car exhaust. 

With the intimidating reunion of their eyes, Ranze couldn’t take it. She rolled her eyes and put her hand on his face, pushing it back aggressively. This elicited a groan from the boy, as he rubbed his jaw, glaring at her with disdain. Ranze didn’t pay too much of this to mind as she had turned away from him.

“It’s not taken into consideration a lot in this city, but don’t bother getting close to a girl if she has no interest,” Ranze said bluntly, turning her head, her eyes narrowing into a death stare aimed directly at the skirt-chaser who had gotten a little too close to her. 

“Jeez, whatever. You’re so cold, no wonder you don’t have a boyfriend like Kaori. It’s because you always make a fuss!” The boy climbed back up to his seat and sat back, kicking his feet onto the desk, rolling his eyes in annoyance. 

“Judging by how quiet she is, it’s a strategy! She lures guys in and just treats em’ like shit.” Yamagata said as she took a bite out of his sandwich, chewing loudly. 

“I think I need to wash up.” Ranze stood up from her chair abruptly, walking briskly down the stairs to the door of the classroom, hearing a cacophony of wolf-whistles as she slid open the sliding door, before shutting the door roughly. A bang echoed throughout the classroom, which had been loud enough to knock the teacher out of his dream-like trance. 

[ ♡ ]

ＴＥＴＳＵＯ

Mere minutes after Ranze had left, Tetsuo had gotten up. His eyebrows furrowed and his fists clenching at the side of the desk, nearly turning an unsettling white.

“Shima-kun?” Kaori had tilted her head worryingly, looking up at him with complete concern.

“I’m just thirsty. Don’t follow me, any of you. I’m getting water,” Tetsuo had announced to his friends and girlfriend, stomping out of the classroom leaving a bigger sense of confusion than when Ranze had left.

Tetsuo sighed heavily as he trudged through the dirtied halls with the usual scuffles and touchy couples.  ‘Where is that girl?’  He thought to himself, crossing his arms as he scanned the halls, looking for the girl’s restroom. Although, it did come to his mind that his sudden departure from the classroom would leave his companions sceptical, especially Kaori. He groaned softly and kicked a beer can from across the hall . ‘Whatever, they can think what they want to think. I need to get my point across to this girl,’  Tetsuo thought as he shook his head repeatedly.

He continued walking slowly down the corridor, knowing as he got deeper, the more empty it all looked. No delinquents, no rowdy couples, and no interruptions. He then stopped and looked to the side. The presence of Ranze finally known to him. He scoffed and went up to her, as she had been sitting down, leaning against the wall, smoking a cigarette miserably.

“What are you doing here?” She asked suddenly, looking up at him with a dazed expression.

“Urgh... I’m here to get something across...” 

“And what would that be? Is it the fact that I’m seemingly ‘toying’ with your friend? He’s quite the busybody, and I’m not sure why he’s getting hung up over what I say.” She threw her head back and blew out a plume of smoke.

“Well, it’s because he’s got the biggest ego. But it breaks like fucking glass if a girl like you comes around as you did, and that, I wish I could actually do.” Tetsuo confessed honestly, rolling his eyes at the thought of Kaneda being his usual boisterous self.

“That’s spiteful. And you two are friends? Does he know about these thoughts you have?” Ranze sounded nearly speechless, as it seemed. Her eyes were widened and her eyebrows had raised quite a bit. Her reaction made Tetsuo let out an earnest chuckle before looking up, frowning.

“He doesn’t know all of it, but he notices. He notices a lot. He’s probably over-analyzing me leaving class like I did...” Tetsuo shoved his hands in his pockets and kicked the ground. 

“You’ve known each other for a while, haven’t you?” Ranze said, tossing her cigarette down the hall and getting up, brushing herself off.

“Hm? Oh, yeah... We grew up at the same orphanage and all. I know a lot about him, so I went to advise you to tell you that I respect the way you approach him. Just watching his ego crumble makes it that much more amazing.” Tetsuo explained, he didn’t quite understand why he was sharing all this with Ranze, but it was sincerely exhilarating doing so. 

After Tetsuo’s explanation, the two of them walked down the hall, albeit at a distance so they didn’t look like two lovestruck teenagers. A silence grew between them. A particularly uncomfortable one. It was during this silence that Tetsuo had realized that Ranze was actually taller than him. Tetsuo had always been below average, as he stood at a meagre five feet and four inches, possibly, even more, he didn’t bother to measure. With Ranze for scale, the top of Tetsuo’s head reached her eyebrows, or at least, that’s how it looked in his eyes. This burned his ego a bit, but then again, this girl wasn’t emotionally tied to him, she wasn’t important to him, he simply only revered her witty mind. Nothing more, nothing less.

“Is he always like that?” Ranze suddenly asked as they had gotten close to the classroom.

“Who? And like what?” 

“Kaneda. You know, egotistical and loud. You’ve known him for what seems to be years, I’d expect you to know.” Ranze muttered as she twiddled her thumbs, looking down.

“Why?” He stopped walking to look at the girl, his eyebrows furrowed in a newly discovered disappointment. “Are you planning to go after him too?”

Ranze giggled softly and shook her head. “Oh, no. I was just wondering if had always been like that with everyone, that’s all.” 

“He’s a fool. But he can be fiercely independent and quick when he wants to, and that’s it... Now, just go back into the classroom before me, Kaori will get the wrong idea!” Tetsuo spoke quickly, before ushering Ranze to go in front of him, eliciting a nod from the girl as she walked in front of him, quickening her pace.

[ ♡ ]

ＫＡＮＥＤＡ

“Dude, wake up!”

Kaneda could hear the voice of Yamagata echo through his eardrums when he had been nodding off. He then felt a blunt force hit his arm, Yamagata had punched him. His reaction was delayed, and it took seconds after he had been struck for him to let out a loud groan in pain, turning to his friend.

“What gives!?” He moaned, rubbing his arm repeatedly where Yamagata had punched him, his skin left tender and warm.

“The drama queen herself has arrived, better move your ass before she snaps!” Yamagata warned his friend as he sat back in his seat, laughing to himself.

Kaneda groaned in displeasure as his eyes watched the familiar cunning girl walk up the stairs back to her taken spot. He’d just met her and he’d already had such a disdain for her personality. Perhaps, herself as a whole. Ranze irked him, and all he wanted to do was put her back in her place, just like he would do to any other punk who’d dare to come after him.

Kaneda didn’t bother to take his feet off the desk when Ranze had finally loomed over him, her eyes narrowing in annoyance as she glared down at delinquent. He threw his head back and yawned, preparing himself for the words Ranze would soon acquaint him with, her cunning, cold words.

“Kaneda-kun, that’s Ranze’s spot... You can’t just take it like that—“ Kaori’s spiel had been interrupted, by none other than Ranze.

“I don’t believe that seat was ever mine in the first place. He can sit there, I’ll simply sit with Yamagata,” Ranze spoke passive-aggressively as she rolled her eyes, moving to sit next to his particularly eager friend.

Kaneda bit his lip and closed his eyes, trying to put his mind at ease. This girl simply walked onto their turf and made herself right at home, like she was made for the place. As these thoughts ran through his head, the minutes ran by too. And soon enough, a long hour swept by and the day was over. At least, for most students. The Capsules were still going out that night, and Kaneda couldn’t be more ecstatic for it.

Kaneda quickly stood up once he’d heard the bell ring, and stretched himself out, groaning loudly. He was sincerely convinced being stuck in one place for what seemed to be forever was the equivalent to being put under the guillotine. And his heart had been set on that opinion. He cracked his knuckles and turned to his friends, a wide grin on his face. 

“Let’s go, fuckers! You know the meeting place tonight...” Kaneda reminded his friends before his voice trailed a bit after seeing Yamagata in the middle of a seemingly pleasant conversation with Ranze, the “top-bitch” he’d mentally dubbed her.

“We’re going riding tonight. You should maybe tag along, I got some room on my bike.” Yamagata offered as he walked with Ranze down the aisle, fixing his ripped blue sleeveless shirt. 

“A pleasant offer coming from you... I have work tonight, so I don’t think I can ride with you, Yamagata-san. I do think I’ll catch you on the local news, though...” Ranze responded, shaking her head before walking off, leaving Yamagata in the dust of rejection.

Kaneda walked past Yamagata, resting his head in his hands, whistling nonchalantly. “Sucks to suck! There are prettier girls than her around the city, dude. Don’t get hung up over her!” Kaneda said half-heartedly, a relieved feeling washing over him. Knowing Yamagata wouldn’t take Ranze home eased him, and he didn’t know why. It wasn’t his problem to care about which girls his friends slept with, yet he didn’t know why he was paying this case to mind. Perhaps the fact he couldn’t fathom Yamagata going for someone of the likes of Ranze Hayasaka.

Yamagata nodded and laughed, punching Kaneda’s arm playfully. ‘There, things are back to normal. No more Ranze-business while I’m around,’ he thought as he walked with his friends down the hall, knowing the tomfoolery they were going to get into that night was going to be the highlight of their drab day.


	4. ⌜ Confessions of a Wallflower ⌟

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆...
> 
> After being situated in the classroom with The Capsules and Kaori, Ranze finds herself back at square one, being investigated by Kaisuke. With the actions performed by Kaisuke, Kaneda soon takes initiative and situates himself much closer to an already paranoid Ranze. This behaviour triggers Ranze to leave for the “bathroom” and eventually giving Tetsuo the chance to walk out as well. They soon cross paths in the hallway while Ranze is solemnly smoking a cigarette in one of the empty corridors. This gives the two of them a chance to have a genuine conversation, a conversation which seemed to fill in plenty of the unmarked blanks between Ranze and The Capsules.
> 
> With the night already beginning, The Capsules are planning to go out riding while Ranze is bounded by the shackles of work. How will the night pan out for these juveniles?

“I found some spare pocket money, Ranze. Would you like it? Considering you’re going out tonight...” Kaori gently slid five-hundred yen towards Ranze’s direction on the table. Ranze had finished putting on her dark crimson lipstick, that complimented the darkness of her brown eyes. 

“I don’t need it, Kaori. I won’t be buying anything, I’m working tonight, after all.” Ranze said as she smiled softly, sliding the money back to Kaori, who folded her arms in an upset manner.

“If you don’t mind me asking... why are you dressing up then--“

“I’m so sorry to interrupt your question, but I must go now. I’ll tell you when I have the chance to,” Ranze said from across the room as she slid on her black high heels and opened the door, leaving the dormitory and a now bewildered Kaori.

Ranze sighed softly and wrapped her dark denim jacket over her thin frame, hiding her body as she walked warily through the streets, hoping that no one would try and stop her, potentially to try something with her. She shook her head, eliminating the thoughts from her mind as she trudged down narrow lane close to the alleyway where her job remained.

Ranze felt a sense of familiarity as she walked down the alleyway, the thick air of smoke and a somewhat sensual musk entering her airways as it grew to be one with her. She dawned a relatively short black dress that tightened around her figure quite beautifully, and her beautiful shiny black hair had been pulled into a neat bun. This combination of presentation made Ranze give off the effortless Hollywood starlet sort of look, which she pulled off ever so majestically. 

Ranze approached the vicinity of the bar, her heels sending echoes of clicks throughout the empty alleyway. She sighed softly and stopped in her tracks, in front of the entrance to the bar.

❝ ＨＡＲＵＫＩＹＡ ＢＡＲ ❞

“Fancy attire tonight, girl.” Ranze rolled her eyes, and flashed her boss smile of feigned kindness, hiding her true disdain for him. 

“I’ve always worn things like this, you don’t need to compliment me,” Ranze responded coolly as she stared into his eyes, her seriousness boring into him.

“Don’t fake that shit with me. You mess up more than three times and I’ll kick you to the curb, I’ve got eyes everywhere, Ranze,” he hissed at her, earning a bitter scowl from his only employee. 

“You can kick me to the curb, but I know what you do behind that counter. Wouldn’t you find it a shame if anyone were to find your little secret?” The bartender glared at her dubiously, but his eyebrows softened back to their original position.

“You’re good with your words, and that’s what’s keeping you onto this gig. If you were some bratty prick I’d throw you out, but I respect a little spitfire like you.” He reminded her as he turned around, walking down the stairs back to tend to his establishment.

Ranze felt her heart pound through rib cage obnoxiously, and yet she couldn’t comprehend why. It sincerely irked her, but she tried to pay it to no mind as she walked down the stairs, her nose being hit with the familiar stench, alcohol, and sex appeal.

Once she got to the bottom of the stairs, her boss offered a cigarette to her albeit his back turned to her. Ranze snatched it from him and lit it, blowing a plume of smoke into the opposite direction towards the unoccupied jukebox that remained quiet. She moved to behind the bar and clicked her nail against the dirty counter, waiting patiently for a potential customer or two come in.

Ranze felt like a wallflower in environments like the Harukiya Bar. She felt so dirtied whenever she was pulled in by an unknown man, or even a woman in some cases. All she could do when she wasn’t serving drinks was to simply stare. Stare into space before she would be bluntly interrupted by an outsider. Her eyes were heavy with fatigue, she’d never gotten enough sleep for working night shifts like this, but the money was adequate and she was willing to move her well-being aside for a salary. 

She heard the stairs creak obnoxiously with the pattering of boot-clad footsteps come closer to her. Ranze then could only pick up the groans and moans of teenage boys, but they rung a bell in her mind, a bell that was ringing even louder when she could decipher what they were saying to each other.

“Honestly, what a bunch of pussies! Ditching our plans and going off to party!” Ranze froze, completely unable to move. In her peripheral vision, she could see a boy dressed in a red leather jacket, with a large white and blue capsule on the back. ‘It’s the fool from school,’ Ranze thought to herself as she swallowed hard, knowing she’d been presented with The Capsules wasn’t sitting well with her.

“Maybe they’ll be better nights for it! We can still go to the old city, the night is young...” Kaisuke shrugged as he leaned against the wall, crossing his arms.

Yamagata groaned and banged his fist against the jukebox. “There’s no good in waiting! You’ve got to go after what you want—“

“DON’T FUCKING BANG ON THE MACHINE, YOU HOOLIGANS! THIS AIN’T A HANGOUT FOR SCUM LIKE YOU!” The bartender yelled at them, shaking his fist at them intimidatingly, this directed The Capsules’ attention to the bar, their eyes not locked on the enraged owner, but the tiny raven next to him.

Ranze’s eyes widened as she met the eyes of Kaneda, his dark brown orbs burning into her soul. She had been so preoccupied in her deep thought that she didn’t know Tetsuo was standing on the other side of the counter, clicking his tongue.

“You weren’t lying at Yamagata, were you?” Kaisuke asked in disbelief as he stood beside Tetsuo, his eyes widened.

“If I didn’t want to go with him I would’ve said so,” Ranze spoke through gritted teeth, twiddling her thumbs.

Kaneda rolled his eyes and turned to the jukebox, proceeding to press the buttons as he browsed through the variety of music it had to offer, all while Ranze was being observed under the eyes of Kaisuke, Tetsuo, and Yamagata. Ranze looked at the three boys, glaring at them suspiciously but she was returned with goofy smiles and pretentious grins. 

Ranze leaned against the counter. “If it makes you stop smiling like that, can I get you three a drink?” Ranze said under her breath to the boys, her face burning red. She didn’t look at any of them as they started to crack up in a cacophony of laughter.

“I’m not drinking that dog piss! Who fucking knows what that bastard puts in his booze!” Yamagata said, wiping a tear from the corner of his eyes.

Tetsuo sighed and scratched the back of his head, looking back on Kaneda with narrowed eyes. “Ranze...” He looked at her, his eyes displaying seriousness, shoving his hands into the pockets of his cyan jacket. 

“Yes?” Ranze responded, exasperated, watching the other two boys move to one of the empty booths to smoke.

Tetsuo scoffed at her facial expression. “Kani is a bitter brat tonight,” he used a spiteful nickname he had subconsciously given Kaneda. “Nothing seems to be going well for him, and it’s kind of funny. First, you came. And then there’s this mess. It’s just a streak of bad things for him!”

“TETSUO!”

Ranze and Tetsuo paused, turning their heads to look at Kaneda as he approached them angrily. “Getting close to Ranze when you’ve got a girl? You’re sleazy!” He muttered, playfully hitting Tetsuo, eliciting a yelp from the younger, shorter boy. “What’re you doing here, missy?” Kaneda then turned to Ranze.

“Well, this is my job. I earn money this way,” Ranze responded, looking down at her hands. 

Kaneda whistled, looking at her with a bitter expression. “This is your work? I mean, with a body like that I thought you’d do something more... private...” Ranze rolled her eyes, groaning in displeasure. 

“And I even believed I could feel bad for you when Tetsuo told me about your cancelled plans,” Ranze scoffed, then noticing Tetsuo had abandoned the two of them as he had gone to sit with the other two boys.

Kaneda bit his bruised lip and narrowed his eyes at the cunning girl. “Got a cigarette?”Ranze nodded and handed him one. “Ah, ah... I’ll pay you if you put it in my mouth and light it for me.”

[ ♡ ]

ＫＡＮＥＤＡ

To the simple mind of Kaneda, he predicted that Ranze would comply with his bold order, especially for the offer of cold, hard cash. But the shaken girl’s reaction was a response that knocked him out cold. Figuratively, of course. Ranze just stood there and looked down, her hands now clenched into fists.

“Pig,” she said suddenly before snatching a pack of cigarettes from the counter and making a break for the exit. 

With a loud set of footsteps and the abrupt sound of a slammed door, Kaneda felt his heart sink. ‘Did what I say anger her? Girls are flattered when I say things like that to them,’ he thought, biting his lip nervously. He has never been presented with the sort of reaction from a girl, especially from his advances. Did he make her uncomfortable? 

Tetsuo walked closer to Kaneda, his hands in his pockets. He rolled his eyes at the older boy before taking a sip of his beer.

“W-What!?” Kaneda yelled, immediately feeling an unholy mixture of guilty and angry. At himself, and the world around him.

“Did she not like what you said? Oh, damn... A girl not jumping on your dick is uncommon!” The shorter boy mocked him as he threw his empty beer can in the trash can. 

“Hey, fuck off! The only girl you could land was Kaori, and she’s probably sick of you!”

“Sick of me? What about our new friend who’s now outside? You don’t think she’s sick of you?”

“You keep on talking, just you wait! Since I’m more of a man than you are, I’ll walk up those stairs and go to her. AND fix this problem because I’m responsible! So ducking shut your mouth, Tetsuo!” Kaneda promised, turning his back on his friend to walk up the stairs. Behind his exterior was the boy’s crumbling ego, an ego that was getting the best of him the more mistakes he made as the day went by. 

“Yeah, I’m watching...” Tetsuo murmured, turning back to the awkwardly standing Kaisuke and Yamagata, before trying to salvage their past conversation which had been interrupted by Kaneda’s shenanigans.


	5. ⌜ Fugitives of Harsh Realities ⌟

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆...
> 
> Ranze leaves for her night job after the tiring and uneventful day she had at school. She’s greeted by her boss at the Harukiya Bar (the terrible rundown bar that takes part with under-the-radar drug dealing in the area). Fatigued and exasperated, Ranze tries to make it through her shift without passing out. Much to her dismay, The Capsules stumble into the bar, infuriated and dying of boredom. With the now repetitive series of questions coming from the juveniles, Ranze is holding onto the last thread of hope she had for what was left of the day. Overwhelmed and nauseous, Ranze storms out of the bar, leaving a dazed Kaneda in the dust.
> 
> With a wall built between the two of them, is there any way the misconceptions can be cleared up on this uneventful night?

“Hey, you...”

Ranze didn’t bother to look at the guilty biker as he loomed over her as she sat on the dirtied ground of the alleyway, her eyes solemn and her reddened cheeks damp with stinging tears. She didn’t like her sudden outburst. In her opinion, it felt unnecessary to make such a scene over such a tiny slip-up. Perhaps it was the fatigue seeping into her head, or the pressure spilling into her veins. Either way, there was no going back on how she reacted.

She took a long drag of her cigarette before pulling her head back lazily, looking up at the empty night sky. “You always do things like that, don’t you? You don’t need to apologize, I simply just don’t like it when people make advances towards me.” Ranze spoke softly before she laughing sadly at herself. After all, such a pathetic reaction was worthy of a laugh, even from herself. Kaneda could only keep his head held low, possibly out of shame.

Ranze looked at him. “I attacked you. With my words, of course...” Kaneda looked up, his eyes widened as if he’d just been apprehended. Ranze swore she could see a glint in his eyes, a glint symbolizing a burning self. A fire Ranze lit ablaze.

“What?” He responded, nervously kicking a rock across the alleyway. “I... I’ve endured worse, you haven’t gotten to me at all.” Their eyes met. Ranze’s expression displayed scepticism and unsureness, Kaneda’s simply showed dejection.

“I can’t tell you what you feel, but it doesn’t look like you haven’t let them gotten to you,” Ranze answered, looking down at her lap in an attempt to the tears welling up in her eyes.

“It’s not fucking like that! Don’t even fucking try to give yourself the credit of hurting me!” Kaneda snapped, walking up to her and balling his hands into tight fists, his teeth clenched. 

“What you’re doing isn’t what any beast on the street would do...” Ranze muttered, looking up at the angered boy. “Any other fool would go to numbing themselves with drugs or sex, not even bothering to salvage it like what you’re trying to do.”

“I... F...Fuck...” Kaneda pressed his head against the wall Ranze leaned on, his fists and teeth clenched with frustration.

“I-I don’t fucking get why I’m dwelling on this! I only just met you and your fucking words make me want to puke...” Kaneda crossed his arms and unzipped his jacket, throwing it on the ground.

Ranze wiped her cheek softly. “I won’t excuse what I said... My words hurt you, and I see that. I’m so sorry, I’m so angered by gangs and delinquents in general. I act this way out of instinct, thinking my words can’t hurt any of you. I believe I stand corrected, knowing you and your friends aren’t numb with drugs, and can still feel emotions.”

“Damn right we fucking feel! I’ve known these guys for the majority of my life, especially Tetsuo. I’ve endured hell and back with them, I trust them.” He closed his eyes and tightly clenching his jaw even more.

The two of them remained quiet, the only sounds being the muffled music from inside the bar and the honking of cars in the distance. Ranze slowly got up and pulled out a cigarette from her pack. She grasped Kaneda’s hand and put the cigarette in his hand, before pulling out her match to light it.

Kaneda softened his gaze and took a drag of the cigarette, blowing out a plume of smoke in the other direction. “I came to say sorry too. I’m no good at apologizing but... does this work?” Ranze rolled her eyes, but deep down she was grateful he had some ounce of self-awareness.

“It’s fine. Believe me, I—“ 

“Don’t try to justify it for me. Jeez... You’d let a man spit on you, won’t you?” Kaneda tried to joke, taking another drag of his cigarette.

Ranze furrowed her eyebrows. “Now, I’m not like that. I’m just trying to change your perspective on me. But I do believe in the end, you have every right to think what you want to think. And if you don’t like me, I’ll stay out of your way.” She commented, leaning against the wall as she looked down at his discarded coat, the bright red leather still keeping its priceless sheen. 

“You’re going to be like that if you try speaking for me,” Kaneda coughed before continuing, “I’m only like this because I’ve been wronged by this shitty government, just like the next guy. All of us in the gang have, we’re doing this to get back at that dumb system for fucking us over.” He explained, tossing his cigarette before bending down to retrieve his jacket.

“I think we’re all just fugitives of the harsh realities of this world. I understand. We’re just trying to make do with what we have. We’re simply just trying to find the silver lining in this sad world...” Ranze chuckled before smiling softly, threading her fingers together. 

Kaneda straightened himself out, a puzzled look on his face, which made Ranze tilt her head back at him. “Wait... What’s a fugitive?” Kaneda asked, laughing nervously as he scratched his head.

“Someone that escaped from captivity...” Ranze facepalmed, shaking her head in disappointment. 

Kaneda slapped his knee and started laughing loudly. ‘An empty-headed fool... But no drugs are numbing such a bright soul, is there?’ Ranze thought to herself, grateful that things felt clearer between the two of them. Not even the two of them, but her and The Capsules. They were all lost souls making do in a cruel world that didn’t love them back. It was all coming full-circle. 

[ ♡ ]

ＫＡＮＥＤＡ

Kaneda’s mind immediately went to places after his goofy question. The two of them were in an awkward spot, very obviously so. But in his mind, he imagined how easily Ranze could fit into The Capsules. Cunning, ambitious, and intelligent, Ranze checked off plenty of the imaginary boxes of criteria for her to join his biker gang. She’d be able to get them out of all sorts of trouble, lure their rivals in, and be all-around a useful asset to the team. Under all these exciting thoughts was the underlying thought of Kaneda getting closer to her. He didn’t pay it to mind. But it was present, albeit mellow and weak. 

Kaneda turned his head to look at the raven behind him before he raised an eyebrow at her which she returned to him with two narrowed eyes. Kaneda then burst out in laughter.

“Ah, I got something to ask you! If it means we’re on good terms now... could you possibly... maybe... join my gang?” Kaneda asked, biting his lip in anticipation of her answer. 

Ranze’s eyes widened visibly but she tried hard to remain her poise, she swallowed hard. “A kind offer... But I refuse.” 

Kaneda cursed mentally, throwing his head back and groaning audibly. Very audibly. All these hopes and all he got was rejection. 

“You’re locked up in that bar! Couldn’t you possibly join us?” He huffed, resting his hands behind his head. 

“I don’t have a motorcycle... And I don’t intend on buying one...” 

“KAISUKE HAS CONNECTIONS! HE CAN GET YOU ONE!” Ranze simply nodded before walking in front of him, ignoring all of his whines. 

Kaneda inevitably ended up piping down as they walked down the alleyway together. As they arrived back to the entrance of the bar, Kaneda turned to her one final time.

“I mean it! Kaisuke can hook you up with a bike! He’s a genius!” Ranze chuckled and walked down the stairs, obviously amused with his futile attempts. 

“Kaneda, I still refuse,” she looked back at him, her dark eyes glimmering in the light of dimly-lit stairwell, “I don’t believe your friends would that as a decision.”

“Oh, whatever! They’d piss themselves... well, some of them, probably not Tetsuo...” Kaneda trailed off awkwardly and let out a loud groan of frustration. “FUCK!” Ranze immediately covered his mouth.

“Don’t draw attention to yourself...”

Kaneda let out a muffled giggle before licking her palm, making Ranze recoil in disgust, wiping her hand on the wall. She walked down the stairs and threw her pack of cigarettes back at him.

“Goodnight! I don’t think my boss wants any of you boys back here anymore for the night...” Ranze called out before going behind the counter, waving goodbye at him. 

Kaneda sighed as his friends were being shoved onto him by the enraged bartender. These events went by too quickly for him, and it was all sooner than he had expected, as he was already riding on his loud, bright bike on the highway. All he could do was wish that luck was on his side, for once in his uneventful life. 


	6. ⌜ Tears of Sunshine Upon the Flowers ⌟

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆...
> 
> Leaving the bar in a hurry, Ranze is alone in an alleyway, giving herself the time to left the previous events sink in. As she’s left dazed in her train of thought, she’s confronted by a guilty Kaneda, who tries to apologize to her. His apology is shut-down by Ranze, as she blames herself for acting so brash, and even calls out the boy on his actions, believing firmly that he’s deeply hurt by her words. Ranze’s beliefs overwhelm Kaneda, as he confesses, holding onto his last thread of patience. As the misconceptions are cleared between the two of them, Kaneda even offers Ranze to join The Capsules, albeit she refuses.
> 
> Being bombarded with such a trivial request, Ranze can only hope she makes her decision properly, knowing she can only trust them all so much...

Ranze walked slowly up the stairs of the apartment complex, her eyelids drooping and her legs wobbling unnaturally. Thankfully, she was given the rare advantage of leaving early from work, as it had been a slow night and there was no business other than the infamous Capsules. It was only one o’clock in the morning, and Ranze had stumbled tiredly into her shared apartment. 

Maybe it was the nostalgic scent of potent perfume that made her head ring, or the particularly frustrating interaction she shared with Kaneda. Even so, the thought of ever being an enemy to a group of boys frightened her and she was more than pleased that things had been settled for the time being. Perhaps they would go their separate ways, and things would be subsequently less thrilling. 

As the girl leaned over the counter, holding onto it for dear life, she heard the sound of a door opening. Ranze moaned as she rubbed her head, her eyes squeezing shut as the light in the kitchen had been abruptly turned on. And with a gasp, Ranze could easily distinguish who the mysterious person had been, Kaori. 

“Ranze, you’re back! I thought you’d be completely gone for the whole night...” Kaori commented. Ranze nodded slowly and pressed two of her fingers onto her plump, crimson lips before smudging the lipstick down her cheek lazily. 

Kaori bit her bottom lip, before rushing to the drowsy girl’s aid and rested her on her body. She dragged Ranze to the bathroom and sat her down on the toilet, before dabbling makeup-remover onto a cotton pad, rubbing it gently around Ranze’s face.

Ranze bent down and slid her hosiery off her long, pale legs. She discarded the torn stockings and leaned back, lulling her head back to look at the ceiling, her head pounding with sporadic intervals of pain.

“Oh, Ranze... Wasn’t today weird?” Kaori said as she sat down on the rim of the bathtub, crossing her legs.

Ranze instantly smiled and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “Of course, it was. I’ve had more action today than I’ve had for all my childhood...” 

Kaori rested her head in her hands as she leaned forward towards Ranze, a curious glint in her eyes. “If you’re in the right state to tell me, Ranze, can you tell me what your night job is?”

“It’s humble bar-tending at this rundown bar, it’s really nothing fascinating.” Ranze fanned herself with her hand, her skin shining with sweat. 

Kaori smiled softly and nodded at Ranze’s response. To be very honest, Ranze adored the company of Kaori. She was a fellow teenage girl she could relate to and treated her like an equal. She was simply a treat to have around for Ranze, and she was grateful the universe dropped her into her lap so suddenly. 

“I could never go out late like that... I’m too scared to, heh...” Kaori chuckled nervously, and Ranze gave her a crooked smile. 

Ranze nodded understandingly. “It’s a very conflicting environment. There’s beauty and thrill in the air, but under all of it is crime... It can be dangerous.” Ranze said as she got up, slipping her dress off and stretching.

“R-Ranze... Don’t tell me you’re sleeping in your underwear...”

“You haven’t slept in your underwear before?”

“Erm... I don’t think I have. I always thought of if it as unhygienic...”

Ranze shrugged and smiled down at Kaori, her doe eyes soft with tiredness and vulnerability. With Kaori’s statement, Ranze could only infer she grew up in a more austere environment than her. In sharp contrast to Ranze’s, her upbringing was bleak and regular. It wasn’t very sad, just simply very loose, as Ranze would describe it. Such casual habits she grew up with turned her into the self-proclaimed “nobody” she was currently, and she hadn’t been actively called out on it to date. 

If only Ranze was able to lose her sharp tongue, a treasure to others but a hindrance to herself. If only she could be submissive, perhaps a seed of happiness would sprout for her then.

Kaori tailed Ranze to her room. Ranze opened the door and stepped into the relatively chilly room, glaring at her pre-made bed like it was a sacred throne. She laid down on the bed and stretched herself out as Kaori sat at the foot of the bed, kicking her legs up and down. 

Ranze heaved a heavy sigh as she turned onto her back, looking up at the ceiling blankly. “While I’m still here, would you like to tell me anything if you’re feeling down?” Kaori suddenly asked Ranze, worry lacing into her voice. 

Ranze looked hesitant to answer, glancing to the side as she bit her lip. She let out a shaky breath and cracked her knuckles. Everything felt particularly odd to her, and she needed assurance but burdening her friend wasn’t something that left a particularly good taste in her mouth. 

“It’s just Kaneda... We talked at the bar today, and he angered me. I reacted terribly, and he apologized. The conversation we had... it was odd and different... Just so weird...” Ranze exhaled, and put her hands on her face, groaning softly. 

“Those boys are different... They’re not completely careless like the other boys out there... They act on their gut and they don’t let each other down, it’s admirable coming from gangsters.” Kaori responded, twiddling her thumbs as she looked out the window at the cityscape. 

Ranze pushed herself up and looked at Kaori, her eyebrows furrowed. “I just wonder how such a series of events could fit in just one day, that’s all...”

[ ♡ ]

ＫＡＮＥＤＡ

The loud, red motorcycle stopped on the side of the highway. Kaneda tore his goggles off his face and leaned back against the seat of his motorcycle. Moments after, a smaller albeit familiar motorcycle stopped adjacent to his. ‘ _Of course, Tetsuo’s gonna be the one that sticks around_ ,’ Kaneda thought bitterly to himself. 

Kaneda pointed his long, dirtied metal pole at Tetsuo as the boy neared closer to him. Kaneda clicked his tongue and grinned at the younger gangster. “Boundaries, Tets.” He reminded him before Tetsuo groaned in frustration as he sat leaned on his own motorcycle.

“How’d the apology go?” Tetsuo asked after pulling out a cigarette and lighting it, Kaneda simply frowned. 

“You’re not going to take it seriously, you’re so young, after all.” Kaneda dismissed his question as he just looked at the night sky, his eyes sparkling.

“Oh, fucking can it!” Tetsuo hissed and immediately kicked a rock in the direction of Kaneda. The older boy let out a hearty laugh before sighing softly. 

“Sorry... I don’t know, we kind of fought and it was weird. I haven’t had such a weird interaction with a girl. She actually apologized, saying how she acted like that towards me out of instinct. She said some weird-ass stuff about us being fu.. fugitives—yeah, fugitives! Fugitives of the harsh realities of this shitty world. She’s really smart!” Kaneda recalled as he scratched the back of his head, continuing to laugh like the goofball he was. 

“You’re praising her now? Jeez...” Tetsuo asked, as he rolled his eyes and took a drag of his cigarette.

“Well, yeah! She’s a decent gal when you get to know her! I honestly want her to join us... you know?” Kaneda whistled as he took out a cigarette of his own and lit it.

“I don’t fucking care whether she joins or not...” Tetsuo shrugged as he tossed the cancer-stick far, wiping his hand on his oversized cyan hoodie. 

Kaneda’s gaze dropped to the ground, frowning slightly. He touched the side of his arm, and squeezed the leather in between his fingers, trying to ground himself. He simply felt as if he had been floating. Floating in such a surreal environment. He didn’t grasp why he had been so giddy, it was pitiful. Pitiful how he still let her name slip out of his lips when the name was like honey. So sweet and flavourful. He pursued his lips and furrowed his eyebrows, taking a long drag from his cigarette.

“I don’t want to dwell on this girl, no matter how close she is to Kaori,” Kaneda’s eyes softened. “I know I can look to you guys if I’m confused over my feelings, even though I don’t want to seem weak like the leader. Which, I think I’m doing a pretty job at, despite all this...” 

Tetsuo cringed, shaking his head and closing his eyes before stepping back onto his bike. “Dumb words coming from a-a fucking dumbass...” Tetsuo huffed, his words tripping over each other as he revved his bike up pathetically. Kaneda let out a forced laugh before roughly revving up his own bike, making it roar proudly. 

“Really?! Trying to make your bike roar? More like a little purr! Steal yourself a better bike next time, Tetsuo!” Kaneda called out to the younger boy before zooming off down the empty highway, the wind catching his hair, making him feel alive. 

Behind the pompous exterior was a confused boy, who felt a strong need to be alone. To use his head and think for a bit, to process the odd happenings of that day. The happening of Ranze Hayasaka. She made his head spin, and ricochet around the wall of his skull. She made his stomach twist and turn, and her voice tingled his ears and send tremors down his spin. He didn’t want to jump to conclusions with this, not as he did with the other things in his life. This was once in a blue moon, and he needed to grasp the opportunity leaving from his hands. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I really wanted to have some vulnerable moments for Kaneda and Ranze, as they try to confide in their friends in hopes getting more answers. What do you all think? Leave a comment below! :)


	7. ⌜ Basking in Melancholic Affection ⌟

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆...
> 
> Coming home after a long day, Ranze is left exasperated and tired. Not to mention, still left questioning some aspects of her sanity, especially after such a mentally draining day. She sits down with Kaori as she winds down from the highs she experienced that very day. Grateful for the open-minded listening of Kaori, Ranze unloads her troubles onto her friend, as well as her observations of the boys she met. Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, on the side of the road remained Kaneda and Tetsuo, sharing their own thoughts. 
> 
> With doors and opportunities open for these two, will they take a leap of faith into the Ring of Fire despite being so hesitant?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made a playlist for Ranze! I hope you all take a listen to it and enjoy it :)!  
> https://open.spotify.com/user/1hr6mqko84jrb3aa5zwrboitl/playlist/6UddALSjQj6NAb4ZjDzexF?si=aLe5nRvPRa2vYU3xvZ_2kA

ＫＡＮＥＤＡ

The day before had been indescribably long, let alone very exhausting. Riding around town, meeting Ranze, and fooling around left the boy exceptionally fatigued. In his own opinion, being a biker could be tiring work, with the sleeping around with various girls, getting caught up in violence, leading The Capsules, it was a set never-ending new thrills in his life. These thrills being the things he could never give up, and if he were too, he’d hate himself for throwing himself into the hellhole of being a tool to society. 

Kaneda wiped the sweat off his glistening forehead as he walked down the sidewalk near his school. He had been walking with Kaisuke on this humid morning, who had been equally as sweaty as him. Kaneda cleared his throat as if to say something, but before he could say something, Kaisuke had already swept up the chance of talking. 

“Honestly! I fucking hope I can get a fucking drink around here. A beer would be great... Or a soda...” Kaisuke blared as he threw his arms up in frustration, Kaneda simply gave him a wide grin.

“If you want something, just fucking steal it! You know you’ll get away with it!” Kaneda suggested, rested his head in his hands, whistling nonchalantly.

Kaisuke groaned sadly. “I fucking skipped breakfast today, I didn’t have anything to eat... Urgh...” He complained, placing a hand over his stomach as it rumbled audibly. 

Kaneda shrugged and looked up at the sky—not particularly sure what to say to his troubled and hungry friend. He remained tight-lipped as they entered the courtyard, before immediately being greeted with a rough slap on the back, by none other than Yamagata. 

Kaneda rubbed his back and laughed loudly, his back stinging with pain from his friend’s odd greeting. “I’m fucking spent! Yesterday was a load of shit.” Kaneda twirled his wrist before shutting his eyes, punching Yamagata in the gut playfully. 

“Do you want me to tuck you in then, princess...” He could hear Tetsuo mutter under his breath from behind Kaisuke. Kaneda scoffed and shook his grossly dampened (with his own sweat, of course) fist at the younger boy intimidatingly.

“C’mon, Tets! If you want to earn your place, you gotta speak like a man!” Kaneda mocked him as he put the younger boy into a headlock, rubbing his knuckle against his scalp roughly.

Tetsuo yelped and dug his nails into Kaneda’s forearm. “AGH! FUCK, FUCK! STOP!” He howled in pain as the rest of the boys erupted in laughter before Kaneda let him go, patting him on the shoulder.

Kaneda turned to the rest of his comrades before nodding at the doors of the school. Kaneda sighed in absolute ecstasy as the coolness latched onto his skin, immediately relieving him of his very prevalent rising body temperature. The boys groaned as they all took heavy steps up the winding stairs, each of the boys muttering their very own complaints. 

Kaneda hunched his back into a more intimidating posture as he shoved his hands into his pockets, taking big steps down the hall. He roughly slid open the door to the classroom, greeted with the familiar sight of misbehaving students and a frazzled teacher. His eyes scanned the classroom before they settled on Ranze and Kaori, who were alone and in the middle of a conversation. 

‘I’m still going to ask her to join, and if she doesn’t want to join, I’ll convince her to go out riding with us tonight! She can’t help but say yes!’ Kaneda thought to himself as he sat down next to Ranze and slid closer to her, immediately catching her by surprise.

“Yeah, yeah, before you get angry at me, just listen. Join The Capsules...” Kaneda whispered to her, his tone more serious than it had been previously. He could see Ranze widen her eyes, and he could only grin internally. 

“You’ve got your mind completely set on me joining, don’t you? I thought I already told you, I don’t own a motorbike, let alone can I ride on...” Ranze sighed as she shook her head.

“We’ll take you riding tonight with Kaori, just fucking consider it! Kaisuke can hook you up with a bike and teach you... just consider it!” He responded, nearly sounding desperate. Kaneda bit his lip and moved away from Ranze.

From the corner of his eye, he could see Ranze turn to congregate with Kaori. He heard a couple of tiny murmurs and mutters before the raven turned back to him, sighing defeatedly. 

“We’ll go riding tonight with you... On three conditions. Number one: you respect our boundaries, don’t bother touching us, you’ll be left with a life full of regrets. Number two: I ride with whoever I want to, you don’t decide for me. And finally, don’t bother trying to impress me tonight, I’m doing this on a whim.” Ranze explained to the boy as he nodded eagerly. 

“Yeah, yeah! Meet us at the Harukiya Bar tonight, and bring some cigarettes.” Kaneda replied quickly, before getting up and going to sit with his friends, leaving Ranze and Kaori in complete turmoil.

Kaneda cheered as he sat next to Tetsuo, kicking his legs up on the desk and sitting back. He let out a happy sigh and smirked to himself, basking in his accomplishments.

“Aren’t you happy...” Grumbled Tetsuo as he opened a can of soda and chugging it.

  
[ ♡ ]

ＲＡＮＺＥ

“I can’t believe he asked us to go with The Capsules riding tonight...” Kaori said, brushing her hair while Ranze slid on an oversized grey hoodie, hiding all the sculpted shape of her body.

“I don’t believe it either... Why did we decide to go in the first place?” Ranze asked as she slipped on a pair of white high top sneakers. Kaori waved her hand sheepishly at their sceptical friend, giggling nervously.

“I just thought it’d be fun for the two of us to go out... If you’re uncomfortable, I could tell Tetsuo and he’ll get through to the boys...” Kaori folded her fingers together, blushing softly, Ranze sighed and nodded before opening the door, stepping out with Kaori.

Ranze’s appearance was a rough contrast to what she’d worn the night before. She dawned the aforementioned oversized grey hoodie and jean shorts that were slightly distressed. Kaori had gone a similar route but made it look exceptionally nicer than Ranze’s outfit. She wore a white long-sleeved shirt with black and pastel blue elements as well as plain grey shorts. 

The two girls were perfectly dressed once they’d met the boys at the Harukiya Bar. The boys even dawned the same attire they’d worn the previous night, leaving Ranze to be even more sceptical of all of them, but she tried to remain open-minded to avoid any sort of conflict with them. 

“So they did come!” Yamagata announced as the two girls walked down the alleyway closer to them, Ranze standing protectively behind Kaori like a motherly figure. 

Ranze raised an eyebrow. “What? I don’t believe Kaori or myself have a history with lying to you boys, at least, yet...” She responded, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear as she looked down at the ground.

“Let’s just get going...” Tetsuo sighed before motioning Kaori to come over him, which she complied happily before getting on the bike with him.

Ranze froze and lost focus. She stood in place, her mind wandering at the different options of people she could possibly ride with. ‘I don’t want to ride with Kaneda... I’m not giving him that satisfaction,’ Ranze thought as her eyes went to the shortest and stockiest of the boys, Kaisuke, their mechanic. The fact that she didn’t want to ride with Kaneda bothered her, why was so afraid to? Was she afraid to be pressed so close to him and be presented with his scent? To be frank, his scent didn’t bother her, but she didn’t want people to look into the fact that someone was boiling between them. 

Kaisuke blushed and got on the bike after Ranze nodded her head at his bike. She got on behind him and loosely wrapped her arms around his waist. It didn’t feel right. Right in the sense that she felt as if she chose to ride with the wrong person. After all, this boy was exceptionally tinier than her, and he sincerely wasn’t going to be someone she could be grounded to when the bike would start moving. How could she carry on like this? Perhaps she could ask someone else, maybe Yamagata for a ride back. But the possibility of him remaining bitter still crossed her mind, so she put all of her hesitant thoughts to the side. 

Kaisuke revved up the bike, the rumbling sending an exhilarating feeling throughout Ranze’s body, yet she couldn’t explain it. She’d seen people ride motorbikes her but she didn’t comprehend how intoxicating it must’ve been. And before long, the group of motorbikes bolted out of the alleyway, onto the road. The speed made Ranze slightly sick, but she grew accustomed to it as the wind blew through her hair, making her speechless if she were to describe this to anyone.

The time sped by faster than how the seasons could change. Maybe it was the speed and ferocity of the motorbikes, or was it the regrets occupying her thoughts? They were already on the highway to the old city, and Ranze, through her narrowed eyes, could see the leather-clad leader in the front, his black hair flowing in the wind as he led his comrades onto the side of the road.

Ranze shakily got up, sighing softly as she rested her hand on the seat of Kaisuke’s bike, stabilizing herself if she were to fall. Before long, Ranze could see Kaneda walk up to her, his lips curved into a coy grin.

“How was riding for the first time?” Kaneda asked, his helmet propped on his hip as he glared at the speechless girl through his goggles. 

“I believe I jumped to conclusions,” she said as she lit a cigarette before taking a drag of it. “I find that it gives quite a rush if that makes any sense.”

Kaneda laughed heartily, pulling his goggles down as they now rested around his neck, his dark chocolate eyes shining with contentment. “I proved you wrong. Isn’t that fucking amazing of me? I finally got through to you.” He said, smiling softly.

He was correct. It was their second day of knowing each other and they had already gotten a better understanding of each other. From her perspective, Ranze was growing a small appreciation for the interests of this boy. Oddly enough.

“But you’re probably too thick-skinned to care, this was just to convince you a little more. Guess it hasn’t too much...” Kaneda shrugged before turning away, hiding a growing frown on his face.

“Did I say no again?”

“Hm?”

“What I mean is... I didn’t refuse just now...” Ranze responded nonchalantly, a hint of hesitancy in her voice. Could she be making a mistake? Was she running off of adrenaline? Why was she approaching this so boldly? 

“So... what you’re saying is... You’re in?” Kaneda verified, turning back to her, his eyebrows lifted in astonishment.

“Y-Yes... I’m in... I’ll stay for a couple of weeks, and perhaps Kaisuke could teach me how to ride with you.” Ranze sputtered weakly, her calm exterior breaking like glass as a blush crept on her face before she quickly looked down.

“Well, Ms Hayasaka... You’re not going to regret this.”

And with that, and a phrase somewhat of a simplistic nature, but with a meaning bearing complexities, complexities not even Ranze could wrap her head around. She didn’t know why she was doing this, but bringing flavour into her bleak life was possibly a cure for her nihilism. It was a start, but perhaps... this could’ve been the thing that left a domino-effect. A domino-effect that’d lead The Capsules into a new chapter, albeit it was happening so quickly.

A seed had been planted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Ranze has now joined The Capsules, even though she’s particularly hesitant (and lowkey kinda scared) about it. In Chapter 8 is when the fanfic starts to follow the plot of Akira (particularly the manga). So prepare yourselves for a timeskip! (It’ll just be a timeskip of a couple months).


	8. ⌜ Walking the Path of a New Beginning ⌟

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆...
> 
> With Kaneda’s consistent wishes to invite Ranze to join The Capsules—and repetitively failing— he decides to bring Kaori and Ranze on a ride through the city, in an attempt to finally convince the stubborn girl of joining. As the night progresses, Ranze is left speechless and awestruck by such an intoxicating rush she was giving while riding with Kaisuke, as the wind in her hair and the sights of the city were something she’d like to experience more. Towards the very end of their rendezvous, she is approached by Kaneda and hesitantly accepts his offer, one final time. 
> 
> Ever since that glistening night, Ranze proceeded to learn the ropes of The Capsules, and slowly, but surely, she grew more attached to the boys. This was her new beginning.

As soon as that night had swept by, Ranze had been given a rusty, broken-down motorbike that’d stolen by an abandoned junkyard, as well as learning how to properly ride a motorbike. Kaisuke had even been kind enough to repair the bike for her and even giving it a new paint job as well as customizing the vehicle to Ranze’s needs. He’d painted it a sleek navy blue with yellow accents on the sides. The bike was nowhere near as glamorous as Kaneda’s technologically and aesthetically-advanced bike, which paled in comparison to the bikes. 

The bike was sustainable and functioned smoothly, going fast enough to catch up

to The Capsule’s intense riding. As well as the improvements of herself, Ranze had expertly mastered the art of motorcycle riding—with some exceptions, of course. Her style of dressing even changed. Instead of dressing in more neutral tones, Ranze dawned a black, sleeveless and not to mention form-fitting turtleneck dress. She dressed down the glamour of this dress with a cropped navy blue jacket that had assortments of badges pinned to it. And to top her transformation off, was the dark red beret that had a tiny, yellow smiling face pin of the band of the hat. 

Thankfully, she managed to blend into the group within a couple of weeks, albeit she remained stubborn as she had been previously. And with the help of Yamagata and Kaneda, she learned how to defend herself and how to engage in brawls with other rivalling groups. She was still nowhere near as strong as many of the others boys, but it was significant progress as she’d learn to wield batons and metal poles which provided to be quite useful as she saw the boys use them in proper combat. 

And with these observations and teachings, the time sped by faster than the seasons could change, as it had already been three months since the day of Ranze’s addition to The Capsules. Shifting to the present, it was nightfall, the typical glistening beauty of the Neo-Tokyo scene had brightened of the violence that awaited inside the city. The Capsules were racing down the streets in their typical formation, with Kaneda at the front on his prized possession that he valued above all things. 

Ranze was riding in the middle of this arrangement, not particularly minding her position whether she was towards the front or the back, she was simply grateful to thrive as one of them. They zipped and swerved through the busy streets, the wind blowing through Ranze’s hair as she gripped her bike’s handles, her eyes examining her brightly-decorated surroundings through her tinted visor. 

Kaneda brazenly sped up, letting his tailing comrades struggle to keep up. Ranze narrowed her eyes and accelerated her bike to the fullest extent without being too brash. She was a couple of yards behind him, her eyes locked on him like he was her target.

“Are you guys too pussy to follow me!? We’re going to the Old City so pick up your pants!” Kaneda blared as he glared back at his friends, a foolish grin on his face, gesturing towards the tunnel that’d laid in front of them, beckoning them to follow through it to the discover the wonders on the other side of it. 

Ranze smiled softly and veered her bike to the side while simultaneously easing her foot off the gas pedal, taking her time to simply fall back a bit. The cmaneuvering of her motorcycle was very smooth and quite tame as she had preferred to take a backseat to much of the action. That being said, she particularly craved a little thrill from time to time. She moved her head from side to side, looking around at the road signs and her fellow members as her bike skimmed across the highway. 

Ranze heard a loud, hearty laugh come from Kaneda. “You’re all just a bunch of dawdlers! Either you pick up the pace or you’ll all be eating my exhaust!” He joked as he abruptly sped up, leaving the aforementioned “dawdlers” in his dust. 

The nonchalant raven pressed her foot down on the pedal, immediately darting forward, stalking behind Kaneda. But before she could open her mouth to say anything, Kaneda yelled something unintelligible as he swiftly drove his bike up a ramp—that appeared to be comprised of rubble and garbage— launching himself ostentatiously into the air before disappearing into the obscurity of the awaited Old City. From the distance she was at, Ranze came to the conclusion they had reached an abandoned military checkpoint that remained on the outskirts of the Old City. 

She let out a small gasp as she approached the makeshift ramp. She roughly shifted her bike to an aggressive turn, changing course and taking a detour into the relinquished city. As she entered the area, she bit her lip, watching Tetsuo emulate the older boy’s brash move. She eventually had caught up to Kaneda, a fair distance between the two of them. 

“The trouble with you is... you take too many chances. You’ll regret it someday!” Ranze called after Kaneda, adjusting her helmet’s visor while her other hand expertly steered her motorcycle throughout the glittering, albeit ominous twilight of the Old City. 

“Well, your trouble is that you’re afraid! I saw you swerve like that!” Kaneda prodded at her, raising his hand to wave dismissively at her. Ranze rolled her eyes, furrowing her eyebrows as she continued to follow him throughout the vacant ruins.

Within minutes, Kaneda skidded to a screeching stop, waving at his comrades to signal them to stop within his vicinity. Ranze immediately obeyed his wishes and veered her motorcycle to the side, pulling up to stop a couple of yards away from Kaneda. Ranze pulled off her helmet, shaking her head, her hair swishing with her movements as it had been left fairly messy from her helmet. Kaneda turned to Ranze and laughed, pointing a covered finger at her ragged locks. 

“You look like a clown with your hair messy like that!” He howled with laughter, leaned against the seat of his bike as he’d been caught up in his laughing fit. Ranze pursued her lips, completely unamused with his antics before smoothening her hair down. 

As the other members slid into the area and settled in, Ranze took in the disturbing sights of the city. It radiated awful energy that irked her, but it was fascinating visiting such a scene. It was simply a part of history that many were willing to learn from, Ranze being one of those people. 

“We’ve reached it, guys. This is the heart of destruction, we’re right where the bomb fell.” Ranze heard Kaneda say, his voice serious with a hidden spike of interest.

The group of juveniles remained quiet after Kaneda’s remark. Perhaps they were paying respect for the lost souls that’d been swept into such deep perils of violence or was it the depressing vibes that’d been radiating off of the place. Even so, the peacefulness was uncomfortable, and Ranze internally prayed for someone to speak up to break this disheartening silence. 

“We took a wrong turn, let’s just keep going.” Kaisuke murmured kicking the rubble of the ground as he looked around warily. 

“Aw, what? You afraid of the dark—“

“It’s terrible knowing so many people lost their lives to... this...” Ranze spoke up, wrapping her arms around herself. She tightened her jacket around her body, desperately trying to warm herself up, as the chilling presence had gotten to her. 

“Yeah... but hey, they’ll be using this space to build the stadium for next year’s Olympics.” Kaisuke then added, looking up at the night sky, as there was no bright stars speckled across the dome of the sky. 

Yamagata scoffed, rolling his eyes in disgust. “You’ve got to be shitting me...” Ranze narrowed her eyes at Yamagata at his remark, immediately making him shift uncomfortably. 

“That’s what I heard. Tell 'em, Tetsuo.” Another member piped up from behind Kaneda, moving his visor up.

The youngest boy widened his eyes and gestured to himself in confusion. “—Me?” He questioned. “They’ve already gotten a head start on it... a bunch of buildings have already been torn down for it...”

As Ranze scoped out the area with Tetsuo, Yamagata swaggered up to Kaneda, his hands stuffed into his pockets. “What are we hanging around this dump for, anyway?” He asked, his eyebrows furrowed in displeasure. 

Kaneda chuckled and shrugged. “No reason,” He replied blankly as he dusted off his helmet before putting it back on and turning to the rest of his crew, giving them a thumbs-up. “Come on! We’re leavin’!” 

Ranze immediately stopped in her tracks and turned to Kaneda, her eyes widened. She gulped and walked up to him. “I’d much rather stay a little more, we can still look around.” She said, looking down at her feet.

“Look, I don’t want you to stay here. We’re leaving, but you can stay, I just don’t want you.” He said seriously, his onyx eyes boring into Ranze’s fragile chocolate ones. Ranze couldn’t quite grasp why Kaneda had been so stern for a such a fleeting moment. Perhaps it was the aura of the ruins getting to him. Even so, it felt odd seeing Kaneda act so... strange. 

“I’m starving! How 'bout we go to Harukiya and grab a bite to eat? Last guy there pays for us all!” Yamagata announced as he got onto his bike before everyone erupted— except for Ranze— into a blaring mixture of protests and cheers.

Ranze sighed and got back on her motorcycle before putting her helmet back on, ignoring the cheers of her fellow members as they deposited withdrew themselves from the area, Ranze in her usual placement in the middle. As she scanned the area as she sailed down the streets, before noticing Tetsuo brazenly taking the lead. 

“I’m letting YOU follow this time, Kaneda!” Tetsuo yelled, turning around to glare at Kaneda. Ranze slammed her foot on the gas pedal, speeding after the two of them in a mad rush.

As the three rambunctious juveniles sped down the highway, the more tension was built. The emptied roads were illuminated as they covered more ground when they rode, and up ahead, Ranze could only squint to make out a tiny figure in the middle of the road. It was completely indistinguishable from such a distance, but Kaneda and Tetsuo had already picked up on it as Tetsuo let out an anguished yelp. 

“FUCK! MOVE IT! GANGWAY, GANGWAY, YOU DUMBASS!” Kaneda called out after Tetsuo as Ranze roughly squeezed the breaks, her bike lurching and tilting awkwardly at sporadic intervals. She lost balance and sent herself off her motorcycle, hitting the pavement, though not as strong as she had anticipated. 

She forced herself off the ground and hissed in pain as her right knee, before jogging to catch up with them. A small blast could be seen yards and yards from where she stood, her mouth opening slightly as she watched in complete worry. Left with the worries of wondering if she could have potentially lost two of her comrades...


	9. ⌜ Grinning Through the Perils of Danger ⌟

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆...
> 
> The Capsules’ late-night ride was en route to the infamous Old City that laid on the outskirts of Neo-Tokyo. Curious, Kaneda leads them to the precise location of where the dreaded bomb had been dropped, leaving everyone irked and quite unnerved. It is only when everyone starts conversing is when they realize the region would be used for the construction of a large stadium, which would be holding the 2020 Olympics. Before long, they lose interest and end up leaving the site, Ranze still craving more answers about the place, but complying anyway. With the petty competitiveness of Tetsuo and Kaneda, Ranze is left to ride after them before they spot a strange figure in the middle of the road.
> 
> Being thrown off her bike, Ranze is left bewildered and concerned for her two friends, completely ignorant of the future that paved out for them...

** “TETSUO!”  ** Ranze had just witnessed the blast and immediately picked up on the chilling scream of Kaneda, followed by a series of concerned shouting from her comrades. 

Ranze picked up the pace of her walking, blood blossoming from the red scrapes on her knees as she trudged closer to the scene. She moved to Kaneda’s side and gazed upon the marred form of Tetsuo, who’s body had now been littered with scratches, scrapes, and gashes, blood dribbling slowly down the side of his head. Ranze quickly knelt down and lifted Tetsuo’s body up carefully, supporting him with her arm as she pressed her ear to his clothed chest, a pulse beating faintly—albeit barely consistent. 

“He’s alive...” Ranze told Kaneda, looking up at now jittering boy as the girl cradled Tetsuo in her comforting warmth. 

As Ranze observed Kaneda more, she’d perceived he had been looking at something that was behind her. She turned her head slowly before catching a glimpse of a small child... An emaciated child with a pruned skin that was tinted a sickening green. Ranze left her mouth agape, completely in awe someone could be in such an unsettling condition. The child froze, frantically looking around at the equally astonished teenagers that stood before him and the wreckage. Kaneda yelped in surprise, before Ranze whipped her head around to look, letting out a gasp as the child was vanishing. Her stomach churned as Ranze grew uneasy, remaining completed dazed as her brain did all sorts of gymnastics in an attempt to find out what she’d just witnessed.

“You saw... didn’t you?” Kaneda questioned her, his voice quiet almost like his entire vocabulary had been vacuumed out of his mouth. Ranze only nodded slowly, her eyes on the unconscious, bleeding boy she held protectively in her arms. 

“Kaneda! We have to get him to the—“ The sound of a car’s wheels coming to an ear-piercing screech interrupted the words of Yamagata. 

“Cops?” Kaisuke piped up, his voice shrill.

“Maybe they can help?” Suggested Watanabe from behind Kaisuke.

Ranze watched them park their vehicle on the side, quite far from the catastrophe that had previously ensued. She squinted her eyes and spotted men through the windows, dressed in patterned uniforms that The Capsules could infer that they were affiliated with the government in some sort of way. She rubbed her eyes as the headlights had temporarily blinded her before observing the man who’d stepped out of the car, pulling out a pager, speaking an odd jumble of words Ranze couldn’t possibly comprehend at the time. Her best guess was that they were reporting the incident to their comrades at a nearby base. 

“Erm... Sir, excuse me, but—“ Nervously questioned one of Ranze’s comrades, before the officer abruptly shut him down, his voice echoing with authority. 

“You shouldn’t have come here. This is a restricted area.” The officer lectured bluntly, turning away from the puzzled Kaisuke. “Okay, men, we’re moving out!” 

“Wait! What are we gonna—“

“An ambulance is on its way. Sit tight,” The man answered plainly, getting in the car and rolling his eyes in disdain. “When the police get here, tell them how it happened.” 

Kaneda furrowed his eyebrows and leaned closer to the window of the car. “Aren’t you the police?” 

The car abruptly honked its horn before the delinquent stumbled back, nearly tripping over Ranze and Tetsuo, who was still sitting still on the cold ground. Ranze sighed softly and looked up at the night sky, only to be left disappointed that there we no stars left to greet her. They were all hidden, hidden from all the madness and thrill ensuing on the surface they surveyed from above. Ranze could only wish she could survey in such a fashion... far, far away...

[ ♡ ]

ＫＡＮＥＤＡ

Kaneda walked out of the gas station, a cigarette in his mouth and an energy drink in his hand. He turned his head to see Ranze, sitting on her bike in the emptied parking lot. She was picking at the dried blood on the summit of her left knee, her eyes shining with boredom as he could tell she had no one to properly converse with. Prior to Kaneda exiting the gas exchange with his goodies, of course.

“Why are you sticking around?” Kaneda asked as he walked closer to her, taking his cigarette out of his mouth and blowing a puff of smoke into the sky. He turned back to her, noticing that she had taken off her jacket as it had been evenly stained with a fair share of Tetsuo’s blood. 

“I wonder how I’ll tell Kaori about this...” Ranze dodged Kaneda’s question, replacing it with her dilemma of sharing Tetsuo’s incident to his beloved girlfriend and Ranze’s precious friend. 

Taking a swig of his energy drink, Kaneda didn’t quite know how to respond. It’d been a while since the two of them shared a tranquil moment like this, at least for such a duration. He heard Ranze sigh, before twiddling her thumbs, her pale, slender fingers shaking slightly as she did so. Kaneda discarded his empty can and moved closer to Ranze, standing before her. Their eyes met, reuniting and celebrating in an elongated period of simply staring into each other. 

Kaneda cleared his throat. “You fell from your bike too, didn’t you? Damn, I didn’t know you’d get caught off-guard like that,” Kaneda joked before swallowing thickly as Ranze narrowed her eyes at him. “Sorry...”

“I caught up with you, nonetheless,” Ranze whispered, crossing her legs as she stared into the onyx orbs that belonged to the older boy.

Kaneda smiled and nodded, leaning forward to whisper back at Ranze, in an attempt to tease her way of speaking. “Don’t get too confident with it, you’re still an amateur.” 

Ranze scoffed. “I wouldn’t dare to—“

Kaneda quickly sat down on the padded seat of Ranze’s motorcycle, before yawning loudly. He turned to Ranze and smiled deviously, pulling her beret down to cover her face, eliciting a yelp from the girl. ‘Jeez... She’s fun to tease but her words could burn me alive,’ he thought to himself as he let out a soft chuckle. 

“Hey, Ranze...” 

“Hm?”

Kaneda opened his jacket’s pocket and took a red patterned bandana from it. He unfolded it and shook off excess dust that stubbornly clung to the aged fabric. He made the particularly bold move of bringing Ranze’s leg up to rest on his lap before tying the bandana around her scraped knee. The way the pads of his fingers grazed the tender skin of her leg, it was heavenly. He wished for more interactions like this from her, but those thoughts were what made his hopes go up. And if his hopes were to go up, he’d never forgive himself if he let it got out of hand. For a brief moment, their eyes met and he could see Ranze’s face flush red as if her heart had simply exploded by such minimal contact.

“How’s that?” Kaneda asked casually as he carefully removed her leg from his lap. 

Ranze looked at him with wide eyes, her face reddened to a deep crimson. A laughable, yet adorable sight. “...Odd... I don’t quite know why you have that bandana with you.”

“I’ve always had it. I just keep it in my pocket just in case...” Kaneda smirked as he patted the pocket on his chest. 

He suddenly got up and brushed himself off, before turning back to Ranze and smiling. “You can keep it. It’s yours now, Ranze.” 

Ranze opened her mouth as if she was going to say something, but no words escaped. She simply bit her lip and looked down at her leg as Kaneda got back on his bike. He looked back at her and winked, making the girl roll her eyes at his sleaziness before he moved out of the parking lot, and onto the road. His face burned, even against the harsh winds of the night. His face still burned, and his heart ached for the absence of Ranze Hayasaka.


	10. ⌜ Despondent In The Midst of It All ⌟

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆...
> 
> Tetsuo is left in critical condition after a collision with an emaciated, odd-looking child who remained completely unharmed after such chaotic circumstances. Monitoring the well-being of Tetsuo, Ranze is left in a dilemma as questions and scenarios pass in and out of her head. It is only when she witnesses the disturbing vanishing of the child, which drives her over the edge with confusion. Still left in an internal turmoil, Ranze catches two officials rush to the scene, albeit their words are rendered futile when they don’t answer any questions asked by The Capsules. After the disturbance, Ranze and Kaneda stay at a gas station before heading back to the city. It is there when they share a long-awaited (at least, by Kaneda) interaction of tranquillity. Ranze is caught off-guard with Kaneda wrapping an old bandana of his around her bruised knee, before leaving her in confusion.
> 
> With such affection being bestowed upon her, Ranze is unsure of what to do. With the obnoxious beating of her heart and the frightening fate of Tetsuo ahead... Ranze is unable to find a compromise...

Ranze bit her lip, looking around at the fellow students that roamed the halls of the rundown school. All of them were scanning and surveying the group of delinquents, possibly muttering scrutinizing words under their breaths as they passed by. Kaneda, too, had noticed such a stir being made of them, due to their antics at the Old City that night. Ranze was left in a myriad of different emotions. She had been deeply burdened with the feeling of concern over the state of Tetsuo, as well as the suffocating dilemma of Kaori’s reaction to all of it. Despite it all, Ranze believed Kaori deserved the truth, perhaps not with harsh bluntness. 

_ “Did you hear? A bunch of guys from our class...”  _

_ “I heard one of them went to the hospital!” _

Ranze felt squeamish, her heart dropping with every word of gossip thrown at the group. It all was impacting them, in some way or another. Ranze could only sigh in displeasure as she caught up with the rest of the boys, trying to squeeze herself back into the conversation. A multitude of scenarios moved in and out of her head, and amidst the flurry of scenarios, was a memory. The memory of Kaneda giving his bandana to her in an attempt to aid her with her minor wound. The thought sent Ranze’s heart in spiralling acrobatics, the pulsing pounding through her rib cage like she was holding an animal captive there. 

“Hey, Hayasaka.”

The teenage girl looked up at Yamagata, a puzzled look written all over his face. “Ah, Yamagata...”

“You blacked out,”Yamagata said, turning his head to spit leaving Ranze to wrinkle her nose, repulsed. “If this shit’s getting to you, just leave.”

“I didn’t get any sleep.” Ranze sighed, “That’s why I’m like this.” 

To distract from her exhausted and mellow facial expressions, Ranze opted to present herself in a more respectable fashion. She dawned a white, long-sleeved turtleneck that exposed a tiny strip of her stomach. To dress down the turtleneck and appear more casual, Ranze chose low-waisted black pants with white stripes on the sides with the addition of plain white sneakers that were slightly dirtied. To keep her bedraggled hair from creating a stream of jokes made about her, she simply tied her back into a low bun, particularly on the messy side but it looked subsequently better than the spectacle of a rats nest. 

It was enough to blend in with the other juvenile boys. As Kaneda had been worn an oddly stylish rugby shirt with slightly distressed jeans, dressed down with his dirtied sneakers. Even Yamagata had decided to wear a collared jumpsuit he’d typically dawned when riding, which met Ranze’s criteria of “well-groomed”. But their mildly dapper attire wasn’t enough to prevent their expected visit to the dreaded Principal’s Office. 

Ranze could see an exaggerated frown spread across the face of Kaneda. “Is this your first time going here, Ranze?” Kaneda asked her through gritted teeth. 

She had been looking down, nodding slowly as they filed into the posh office, which was a prominent contrast to the dirtied hall, let alone, the majority of the school. The ruffians moved into a line, Ranze on the right of Kaneda whilst Kaisuke was on the far left. As her eyes anxiously scanned the new environment, she noticed the plethora of awards that had been hung on the wall behind the desk. Ranze swallowed thickly, a feeling of disdain pooling into her veins. Surely, there was going to be a particularly meaningless lecture brought onto their will. 

The Principal cleared his throat, adjusting his seating position as he glared at the teenagers that stood before him, each and every one of them left in a state of boredom. “You young men are, of course, only fifteen years old, but you can still be tired in adult court.” He raised an eyebrow before raising his glasses, as they had been sliding down the curvature of his hideous nose, “If you are twice convicted of even minor offences, you are sent here... Because you have shown yourselves unwilling—or unable, to fit in with normal students in a normal environment...”

Not wanting to comply with such a twisted perception of normal, Ranze narrowed her eyes in complete disgust. She’d then noticed that her companions weren’t even paying any of it to mind. Kaisuke had been toying around with his tie, and Kaneda had thrown his head back, yawning rudely as if he was sick of generously giving the Principal time to lecture them. A lecture that’d sparked hatred, annoyance, and boredom from all seven of the juveniles. Ranze wasn’t willing to play along with the Principal’s sternness, the austere environment preventing the flow of any latter thoughts, ultimately giving her a small headache. 

“THIS PLACE IS THE LAST CHANCE YOUR KIND HAS!” The shrivelled, bitter old man that’d been dubbed the vice-principal shrieked. The volume was enough to nearly enough to make Ranze’s jaw drop in astonishment, but she kept her mouth tightly shut in feigned obedience. 

The old man brought his hand to his face as he let himself be provoked by the disinterest of the students. “ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME!?” 

His eyes trailed to Ranze first, expecting an answer from her but was left in the dark as she only turned her head to dodge his burning gaze.

The vice-principal cursed under his breath. “What about the rest of you!?”

“Nope, not me.” Kaneda shrugged, looking up at the ceiling.

“I listened to half of if it,” Yamagata responded, averting the vicious glare of the vice-principal. 

“I am!” Watanabe let out an elongated groan.

“I heard it, but I didn’t get any of it...” Kaisuke said bluntly, kicking at the ground. 

It surprised Ranze how the boys could be so genuine, especially to such superior figures. But their carelessness was the exact factor that would be a hindrance to them, as there would certainly be further punishment taken on them, possibly even for Ranze too. 

“You boys are **scum**. You’ll always be scum.” The vice-principal hissed, his words the exact equivalent to venom. The insults irked Ranze, but she knew the old man had bottled-up rage burning inside him. She knew full well that would be the thing slowly killing him. 

Ranze could see Kaneda turn his head to her, giggling quietly as he nudged her. The girl sighed and looked at him with narrowed eyes, obviously in agitation. “Loosen up, Ranze.” He smiled a toothy grin at her. It was this grin, the grin that melted her heart in into a puddle. She flushed a deep crimson before turning her head, much to the dismay of Kaneda.

“Well, if we can’t get through to you, perhaps we should call Mr Takaba, the gym teacher.” The Principal mumbled as he took off his glasses, sighing softly. 

Ranze gazed out the huge windows of the corridors, the burning sun illuminating her features as they were escorted to the gymnasium, paying the intimidating Mr Takaba an uneventful visit. The girl’s eyes dropped with fatigue, and she could barely pick her feet back up as she walked down the hall. Ranze remained at the side of Kaneda, as they had been in the same order prior to entering the gymnasium. She swallowed thickly as the door opened, the boot-clad footsteps echoing throughout the disturbingly quiet setting. The muscular, frightening man rolled up his sleeves as he grinned, his beaming, sadistic delight gave Ranze the urge to hurl. 

Holding her breath, Ranze looked up at the disgusting man as he sauntered over to her, rolling his wrists to warm himself up. “Huh, I’ve never had a misbehaving female student. Well, I won’t go too easy on your pretty face, missy.” Mr Takaba observed as he pinched Ranze’s cheek roughly, making the girl flinch. 

Mr Takaba let out a hearty chuckle before throwing his arm back and shooting it right back out Ranze, his fist digging into her cheek with harshness as he’d struck her. The pain sent Ranze’s to her knees, blood oozing from her nose as she whimpered softly to herself. She could hear the groans and yelps of her comrades as they too had been met with the brute force of the man’s fists. The pain was searing and prominent like her cheek had been ripped open, and it was even enough to have tears bubble up in Ranze’s eyes, threatening to spill. She rubbed her cheek and wiped her eyes, catching a glimpse of a clobbered Kaneda falling onto an equally beaten Yamagata, the sight sending a pang of guilt to her heart before she shakily stood up.

“Are you alright?” Ranze asked the boy as she knelt down next to him, her eyebrows furrowed with concern. “Here, let me help...” 

Ranze grasped Kaneda’s arm and positioned it around her neck, before placing her arm around his waist, hauling him back up with her. Kaneda groaned as he rested his head on her shoulder, his cheek just as swollen as hers as blood pooled from his nostrils. 

“Okay, fall in!” 

The defaced teenagers moved back into a straight line, staring up at the teacher with feigned respect that hid the true hatred that boiled up inside each and every one of them. Ranze didn’t feel a broken or lost tooth in her mouth, thankfully, but her cheek had a large, ugly welt that had puckered a bit along with a bruised lip that stung irritably. The teacher looked at his students, up and down, particularly pleased with the “authority” he’d enforced before throwing his hands onto his hips, craning his neck slightly.

“That’s it for today. Got anything else to say?”

Everyone bowed their heads, forcing themselves to appear as if they were trained mutts. “Thank you very much, sir!” The delinquents quipped in unison, making the filthy man grin in fulfilment before flipping his hair back egotistically, calling out something else Ranze couldn’t possibly pick up as her ears felt as if they’d been ringing.

The teenagers turned around to walk up the steps, Kaneda still being supported via Ranze. It was only then the students unleashed a wave of complete fury at their superior with blunt, albeit tasteful insults. 

“WATCH YOUR BUTT, JAWHEAD! YOU’RE GONNA GET YOURS!” Kaneda called out, his voice echoing throughout Ranze’s eardrums painfully making the girl squeal in discomfort. “Argh, sorry, Ranze...”

“SCUMBAG!” Kaisuke blared, wagging his fist in the air.

“WE WON’T FORGET THIS!” Yamagata shrieked, pointing his finger at the sadist.

“GO TO HELL!”

Feeling the cold air of the halls pepper her exposed skin, Ranze regretted the choice of wearing the white turtleneck as her and Kaneda’s blood had been speckled onto it. The students made their way through the halls, each of them exerting their own rants before Kaneda emphasized the point of none of them facing any true charges for their shenanigans. Ranze rolled her eyes, and let go of Kaneda, making the boy let out a small whine. 

“Ah, anyways, see you guys tonight at nine, at Harukiya. You have work there tonight, Ranze?” Kaneda reminded his friends before turning to Ranze, a bright smile on his face.

“Yes, I do...” The girl mumbled, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it.

“And don’t forget! We have to find out what hospital Tetsuo’s in!” Yamagata added, throwing his hands behind his head as he walked down the hall.

Ranze stopped walking before swallowing down a multitude of feelings. She’d been so distracted by the fact they’d been apprehended that she’d forgotten about the well-being of Tetsuo. She felt a hole burn through her heart, anxiety easing into her. What could she do in these circumstances to help her friend? Could the perception of herself ruining everything slow her down? 

[ ♡ ]

ＫＥＩ

“Where are you meeting Ryu?” Were the words that snapped Kei out of her daydream, her eyes widening slightly at the sudden interaction.

Kei frowned, adjusting the scarf around her neck to prevent the brisk air from nipping at the skin of her neck. “Tonight at nine, at Harukiya. It’s off the Eastern Express Highway in the Seventeenth District.” 

What the night had to offer was unknown to Kei. Going to a rundown bar wasn’t going to be the safest, but if Ryu was there she was more than willing to go. He looked out for her, and the fact that he did so comforted her. Like she was untouchable, and that no one could truly harm her. Albeit that was farther from the truth, especially in the Neo-Tokyo scene, where being a female was a handicap. As many women would be subjected to being raped, harmed, or possibly even worse. All in all, she remained at ease knowing she would be able to Ryu, as the two of them could possibly face the dangers of the city together, persevering together. 


	11. ⌜ Moving Back to Your Warm Embrace ⌟

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆...
> 
> With the outbreak of rumours bombarding the seven troublemakers, they’re all left to the authority and strictness of the Principal—as well as the cruel hands of Mr Takaba. Anxious and fatigued, Ranze hangs onto the words of her superiors, albeit the latter of the group barely hanging on. With the juveniles’ defiance sinking them deeper into a graver punishment, they’re left to the temporary care of the gym teacher. Enforcing “physical education” onto the students and leaving them all bruised and enraged. Meanwhile, in downtown Neo-Tokyo, a beautiful older girl by the name of Kei creates plans to meet at Harukiya that night—coincidentally at the same time as The Capsules.
> 
> With another night ahead of them to look for the whereabouts of Tetsuo, can they scavenge around for their friend without facing the apprehension of the authorities?

Ranze couldn’t comprehend why she had been so frustrated. She didn’t dare to go to work that evening or to even attend the conclave her friends were holding. Why had she been so miserable? Was it the looming thought of Tetsuo’s well-being burdening her that much? Was she finally witnessing the true hazards of being affiliated with such a group of delinquents? Ranze had none of the answers to these burning questions, but the final one was something she didn’t believe she deserved to know the answer to, as she was completely content with such an adventurous set of comrades.

Nonetheless, she found herself placed behind the counter of the Harukiya bar, dazed in all her glory. Unfortunately, her usual riding attire had been still in the process of being washed. Washed from the grime of the Old City, as well as the putrid splatters of Tetsuo’s—and possibly her own—blood. To make up for this inconvenience, Ranze a simple red dress with tiny flower patterns on it. If her memory served her right, the dress had belonged to her late mother as it carried the nostalgic odour of synthetic flowers, possibly the perfume her mother drenched herself in. And to top off the daintiness of her dress, Ranze opted to wear her regular white sneakers she’d previously dawned earlier in the day. 

Ranze wiped the tiny pearl-shaped beads of sweat off her forehead as the musk of the bar had gotten to her, the sensual atmosphere burning her skin. She tied her shiny, freshly-washed black hair back into a low ponytail before continuing the labour of wiping the counters, ridding them of the filth that resided on their surface. 

_“Hayasaka?”_ Kaisuke snapped his fingers in front of the already disoriented girl’s face. “Are you high already?”

“She’s been out of it all day... ever since we arrived at school.” Yamagata frowned, sitting down next to his smaller friend. “What’s your deal?”

Ranze swallowed thickly before turning around to rearrange the plethora of bottles on the shelf, each one holding liquor that could leave anyone weak at their knees with sickness. She then turned her head, smiling back at the boys reassuringly, it was quite forced, but it had been enough to fool them of her problems. 

“I’m alright. I’m just tired of those old fools, that’s all.” 

Another member of The Capsules raised his glass, smiling cheekily. “Kaneda’s bringing us some stuff, so just hang in there!”

The brightness of the lights sent Ranze into a swarm of queasiness, she’d never held up well in environments as flashing as this. The sickening club music had been cranked up to highest of volumes, the pounding of the speakers sending horrible tremors down Ranze’s spine as she shakily poured a shot glasses of vodka for eagerly waiting customers. It was still extremely early into the night, only 8:40. Thankfully, her treacherous work had been put to a pause as the infamous Kaneda sauntered into the bar, eliciting a cacophony of cheers from his comrades.

“You’re early,” Ranze mumbled as she leaned over to Kaneda, the blaring music turning communicating into an exceedingly difficult chore.

“What, did you walk? They take your bike away?” Another member probed, his voice laced with alcohol and foolishness. Yamagata only rolled his eyes and moved next to Kaneda, putting a gloved hand on his friend’s shoulder. “You bring any, Kaneda?”

“Sure did.” Kaneda quipped, dropping an assortment of capsules from onto the counter. Ranze quietly murmured a statement of gratitude to the older boy before placing the pellet onto her tongue and dry-swallowing it as did many of her other companions. 

“Can I get a Coke, Ranze?” The boy suddenly muttered in Ranze’s ear, evoking a quick nod from the girl as she turned around to rummage through the mini-fridge under the counter. 

As Ranze had her back turned to the boys, she tuned in on the conversation the boys had with each other. “By the way, Yamagata,” She heard Kaneda sigh. “You find out where Tetsuo is? I tried, but...” His voice trailed as Ranze set the red, glistening can in front of him. 

Me, too. No luck...” Yamagata confessed, frowning as he furrowed his eyebrows in disappointment.

“I think something weird’s going on,” Kaisuke piped up slamming his can of soda onto the counter for added effect. “I asked the police and Tetsuo’s mother... Nothing!” He threw his arms into the air, possibly in defeat as their search for Tetsuo had been rendered completely futile.

Ranze followed the conversation with tight lips as the boys continued to share their input on the situation. Sighing, Ranze could only throw her head back to look at the ceiling. It was slowly morphing into a wild goose chase, a chase Ranze felt more and more uneasy about as it’d ensued. She had no better choice but to tag along, knowing it’d be unjust of her if she’d left the situation as the anarchy it was. Hopefully, she’d be a voice of a reason in this frightening scenario. 

“They haven’t given any type of update of his status...” Ranze spoke up, throwing her damp rag over her shoulder, leaning over the counter to congregate with the other teenagers. “Not to mention, they dismissed us rather quickly. They weren’t interested in us, it seems.”

The boys nodded their heads in unison, hanging onto Ranze’s every word. “Right! I was expecting a much bigger hassle.” Yamagata commented, whistling nonchalantly as his eyes trailed around the bar.

Before Ranze could add to her observation, she’d noticed the boys had their sights on a particularly serious man who had resided in the booth behind them. He had been solemnly smoking a cigarette, his eyes cold and calculating, as if he had been analyzing every fleeting moment that’d sped by. Ranze scooted over to her boss, who’d been polishing glasses while catching up with a usual visitor of Harukiya. 

“Sir... Do you know who that man is?” 

“Why ask me, Ranze? Think he’s your type?” The older man wolf-whistled as he nudged Ranze teasingly, making the girl pout in discomfort, Kai immediately picking up on this.

“BLOW IT OUT YOUR ASS!” He let out a shrill shriek, making the bartender throw his hands up in defeat before moving back to his usual work. Ranze sighed in relief, awkwardly moving back to her friends whilst praying internally that her reddened face hadn’t been noticed in the dim, sultry lighting of the nightclub.

The boys resumed their idle chatter, Ranze standing quietly as she twiddled her thumbs, unsure of what to incorporate to their conversation. She held her breath before moving her eyes instinctively to the door as it’d creaked open. There, stood a fairly beautiful young woman with what appeared to be a bobbed dark brown hair. The younger teenage girl looked down at her feet, another crimson blush dusting her cheeks. Her presence immediately triggered the ogling of the bikers, their eyes lighting up immediately as she strutted past them, situating herself with the aforementioned man. 

Without any hesitation, Kaneda rose from his seat, a confident grin slapped on his face. Ranze crossed her arms and sighed hopelessly, the lust-filled shenanigans of Kaneda Shoutarou would resume and she had no say in it. She leaned against the wall of the bar, watching the pitiful sight of Kai and Yamagata attempting to warn the promiscuous boy which didn’t faze him as he slid to the booth the pair had been seated in. 

“Why waste time on the older generation? I want to talk to you.” Kaneda craned his neck as he leaned closer to the revolted young woman, her eyes narrowed with disgust. 

Ranze felt a pang of jealousy in her heart, before it seeped into her veins, spreading throughout her body as she witnessed it all unfold. The feelings she’d been bombarded with whenever she was around Kaneda made her weak... so effortlessly weak. And she couldn’t explain why she could only bite her lip as she turned her head in distaste.

“Hey, wait a minute!! I’m trying to talk with her!” She heard Kaneda protest before a loud bang echoed throughout the bar, the odd man had slapped Kaneda’s elbow off the table sending his face into the harsh wood as he faltered with his balance...

[ ♡ ]

ＫＡＮＥＤＡ

Kaneda winced in pain, before heaving himself up, instinctively moving his sleeves up as if he had any fight to pick but soon groaned angrily as they escaped the facility, leaving him and his comrades in complete bewilderment. Kaneda ushered his friends to get up and partake in a mad dash, Ranze running out from behind the counter frantically tying her shoe. 

“I don’t have a coat, I don’t think I can help—“ The older boy cursed loudly before throwing his red leather jacket onto the girl’s head, making her yelp in astonishment.

“Put that on and fucking hurry up!” Kaneda called out after her as he jumped over the toppling bodies that covered the occupied staircase, Ranze trailing after him, stepping over the groaning teenagers as she hummed tiny apologies. 

Kaneda hauled himself into the door, pushing it open before immediately sprinting down the dimly-lit streets of the Seventeenth District, Ranze and the others hot on his tail as they hunted down the suspicious man and woman before disappearing seemingly out of nowhere, possibly sneaking around a corner to throw them all off. The teenagers stopped in the middle of the road, Kaneda panted, his blood boiling with rage as he scanned the area like a ravenous wild animal. 

“Fuck, they couldn’t have gone very far...” Kaneda murmured before bounding down an abandoned alleyway with Yamagata in front of them, as they’d immediately caught up with the fucker that’d dared to harm him for something he’d perceived as simple, as he’d only had been interested in the beauty accompanying him. 

Before long, Kaneda watched Yamagata tumble at the clearing, knocking over crates and crates worth of glass bottles. He’d inevitably slashed the palm his hand on a fragment of it, immediately letting out a shrill howl of agony, releasing a slur of curses and obscenities from his mouth as he grasped his bleeding hand. Kaneda stopped in his tracks as he exited the dark passage, immediately catching sight of the shrivelled, emaciated-looking child, Kaneda’s presence enough to send him into a trembling state. This reaction made the biker sneer in amusement, placing his hands on his hips in fulfilment. Here, he was... The brat who’d left Tetsuo in pieces. 

“Well, look who’s here!” He called out, a smirk curving his lips making the child let out a yelp of fright as he backed himself against the building he stood in front of.

As Kaneda approached the young boy, his eyes glinting with a pure, unadulterated fury that coaxed the teenage boy into moving closer, to ready his fists so this putrid brat could learn his lesson. It was only then that Kaneda noticed Ranze appear from behind a car, nearing the boy. 

“Because of you... Tetsuo is...” Kaneda stopped, placing a finger on his chin before resuming his predatory stalking. “You probably don’t know who is— He’s one of our best riders!”

Kaneda combed his fingers throughout his straight black hair, his teeth gritted with anger as he proceeded to intimidate the perpetrator to his heart’s content. “Anyway... Because of you, Tets is in the hospital...” Kaneda narrowed his eyes as he glared him down, “He’s my friend, so I owe you for what you did to him. And I’m gonna pay you back, right now.” 

“What are you talking about, Kaneda? You know this kid?” Yamagata piped up, sending the kid into a series of trembling and quivering. Kaneda could notice Ranze lower her head, possibly out of pity for the paranoid child.

“Since last night,” Kaneda responded nonchalantly, looking up at the dark sky.

“Last night?” Yamagata retorted, raising an eyebrow in scepticism. 

“He’s not wrong... I was with them when it’d happened,” Ranze paused, biting her lip as she tried to recall that fateful night, “He had been loitering around in the middle of the road while Tetsuo was in the lead. Tetsuo had gotten himself injured while attempting to prevent himself from harming this child...” She finished explaining, wrapping Kaneda’s jacket closely to her as she shivered. 

“Ohh, so _YOU’RE_ the one!!” Kai exclaimed, bending down to the level of the child in an attempt to mock him. 

They formed a barrier around the child, encircling him with vicious glares that bored into the child’s soul, sending deeper into the perils of fear. Kaneda noticed Ranze in the corner of his eye, she remained at a distant, a look of disappointment on her eyes. The biker clicked his tongue as he looked at his friends mischievously, a grin laced onto his face.

“Whattaya think?” Kaneda asked, cracking his knuckles, already awaiting an enthusiastic answer from his comrades.

“Let’s kick his ass!” Kai beamed, rolling his wrists as he nodded responsively at the older boy. 

Kaneda suddenly felt unnerved as he quickly caught onto the changing expression of the child, his teeth chattering as he contorted his face into a scowl, the large glass windows crackling disturbingly. Ranze let out a gasp as she pushed Yamagata into Kai, resulting in a domino effect that’d left the boys toppling onto each other, albeit they were left unscathed by the sudden ambush of glass shards, all thanks to likes of Ranze. Kaneda’s eyes widened as he watched the kid vanish once more, an eerie groan coming from his lips. Abruptly, he heard the shriek of the familiar girl from Harukiya. 

“ **RUN!!** ” She blared, warning them quickly.

“Hey! The girl from Harukiya...” Kaneda hummed, looking over at her with a confused expression.

“Run...?” Kai inquired, tilting his head, puzzled. 

In the spur of the moment, Yamagata let out a frightened holler, his head held eye as if he’d been examining something that resided above them. The teenagers looked up, all of them left perplexed before they dropped their jaws, their bodies going completely lax as a structure—presumed to be that of a water tower—began its descent onto the ground below. Kaneda’s mind instinctively switched to Ranze, paralyzed with fear as she gazed up at the collapsing edifice. He ran and jumped onto her, wrapping his arms around her, protecting her vulnerable body as the tower pummelled into the ground, creating a large blast that’d sent them all backwards. They’d tumbled onto the ground harshly, Kaneda taking the majority of the damage as he cradled the shaking girl in his arms. 

He was worried about her. To the point that it sent painful vibrations in his heart, and he couldn’t grasp why... He gazed down at her, his eyes pooled with an unholy paranoia. A paranoia that was slowly consuming him. 

“Ranze?”

He couldn’t stop himself from holding onto her, it was if his life had depended on it. He’d known this girl for three months, yet she’d saved his friends and himself from peril, albeit only once. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t want to look out for her. Truth be told, he did. He wanted to look after her in such a way, as he’d felt obligated to. His heart skipped a beat as she groaned, her eyebrows furrowing in what appeared to be pain as she gazed up at the awestruck boy. 

“Thank you...” Ranze suddenly said as she sat up, rubbing the back of her neck as she’d then noticed the cuts and scrapes that’d marred the tanned skin of her comrade. “Are you okay? Are Yamagata and Kaisuke okay too? And that girl, she warned us!”

“We’ll have to see,” Kaneda said quickly as he helped her up before ushering the other two boys to follow them out. Luckily, they’d managed to disappear into an alleyway as attention from bystanders drew closer and closer to the scene... The adrenaline of the night was keeping them all living and breathing, despite their tenderized skin, speckled with bruises and cuts. They were standing, youthful and proud. 


	12. ⌜ Fragile Egos and Powerful Words ⌟

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆...
> 
> Ranze proceeds with caution as she begins an exceedingly uneventful night of work, whilst waiting for the arrival of her comrades at Harukiya. She’s left in a constant state of worry, her presence fading into the neon lights of Neo-Tokyo before Yamagata and Kaisuke bring her out of her shell. Particularly just in time for Kaneda’s early arrival to the rowdy bar. It is only there that they encounter an odd pair, a man and a gorgeous young woman, he temporarily catches the eye of Kaneda. With his abrupt advances to speak to the girl, the two unidentified take a run for it, leaving The Capsules to chase after them in a seemingly never-ending goose chase. 
> 
> Approaching the end of their chaotic rendezvous, the teenagers are caught off-guard, as they’d found their “perpetrator”, the unnamed that’d left Tetsuo in shambles. They aren’t left to much intimidating, as they’d inevitably triggered a disturbing reaction from child, leaving a water tower to collapse on them all...

_ “Smoke at 9 o’clock!!”  _

“EMERGENCY! EMERGENCY!” 

“Look likes it’s coming from the Seventeenth District!” 

“This is STF 14. We’ve spotted a fire in the Seventeenth District,” The pilot of the aircraft reported, his eyes gazing down at the flurry of reds, oranges, and yellows that engulfed a meagre portion of the road, albeit it’d yet to spread. “Maybe it has been caused by an explosion... We’re going to take a look!”

“ **An explosion!?** ” 

“In the Seventeenth District? What do you think?”

“One of our patrols is on the way!” 

The man seated in the passenger’s seat sighed, adjusting his sunglasses before leaning back to look at the man who’d remained nonchalant amidst the series of anarchy ensuing. “Do you think **_Number 26_** behind it?” He inquired, raising his eyebrow in quizzically.

The question made the second man scoff. “We’ll have the details soon enough,” He paused as he took a long drag of his cigarette, before resuming. “It’s been over thirty hours since he escaped. Soon he’ll be at critical.” He concluded, opening the window to discard the used cancer-stick.

[ ♡ ]

ＲＡＮＺＥ

Ranze couldn’t sit still, her ears pulsating with a hideous pain that didn’t even dare to go away as the sirens continued to wail obnoxiously throughout the streets of the Seventeenth District. The four teenagers had scurried off into an abandoned passage that proved itself of a worthy hiding spot, as they all could avoid any threats or lectures from more of their egotistical superiors. Ranze stood against the brick wall, her arms crossed as her eyes scanned their crumbling surroundings, all while Kaneda had been observing the road, ignoring the incessant bleating of Kaisuke.   
  


“How come we’re hiding?” Yamagata groaned as he scratched the top of his head before completely resting himself against the wall behind him and Kaisuke.

“Idiot! You know what’ll happen if we get busted again so soon after last night!?” The tinier boy blared, his words making Ranze stroked her bruised cheek, as she’d gone ahead to cover such a hideous, swollen welt with makeup. 

“If we say we didn’t do anything and it wasn’t our fault, no one will believe us.” She mumbled, continuing to caress the tender skin of her cheek as the boys nodded in agreement.

Yamagata groaned as he muttered complaints under his breath, the chaos out in the streets echoing throughout the occupied alleyway, irking the teenagers as they’d gathered their thoughts in silence. Kaisuke suddenly piped up, only whispering a series of mutters to Yamagata that Ranze couldn’t pick up with her sensitive and burning ears.

“What do you think, Kaneda? Did he really destroy the window and the water tower?” Kaisuke asked Kaneda, eliciting a soft groan from the older boy. 

“How should I know?”

Ranze fidgeted with the material of her socks before roughly tearing the material apart, making all three of the boys look at her, puzzled. She ripped a strip of the fabric in half before bunching it up into fairly minuscule clumps, enough to fit into the crevice of her ear. She placed the, gently in her ear before stripping Kaneda’s jacket from her body, handing it to him without any words uttered from her lips.

“Ranze, what are you doing?” She heard from behind her, albeit her blocked ears had distorted her perception of who’d asked the question. 

“I’m going off— I don’t know what I’ll do, but I’m leaving. Stay safe, please...” She answered nonchalantly before taking off without any other information to offer to her comrades.

The makeshift earplugs had done her good service, as the sound had died down remarkably. Albeit she could still hear the wailing sirens and the commotion of confused passerby’s, but the ringing in her ears had simmered down. Ranze recited minuscule prayers under her breath as she dashed down the streets, squeezing through the crevices of people and ignoring their grunting protests. After squeezing past the commotion, Ranze stumbled through a clearing, littered with crates and broken bottles. She cautiously stepped over them, before pausing to carefully remove the bunches of sock she’d crammed into her ear. 

She steadied her breathing, her mind subsiding back into a tranquil stage. Although, it was... Until a noise had disrupted her process of calming down. She’d picked up the clattering of what sounded like empty glasses, making Ranze gasp quietly. She turned a corner before the remains of wooden planks had been catapulted her way, but they’d rendered as useless as the girl realized they’d struck the wall behind her. Before long... she could see the trembling, anxious child, his translucent skin gleaming in the moonlight.

[ ♡ ]

ＴＡＫＡＳＨＩ

“ _I didn’t mean to startle you..._ ” The mysterious girl called out, her voice trembling with an unbeknownst fear. “If you continue with that... I believe both of us will be in danger.” 

Despite his frightened state, Takashi still had an ounce of courage that’d remained stubborn and hadn’t left him, yet. He simply moved back, twiddling his thumbs nervously as he looked up at the girl. It was then he’d realized she was one of the teenagers he’d encountered earlier... Albeit she hadn’t engaged in the attempted assault. 

“I see you do that too...” 

The pruned boy widened his eyes, biting his lip as he looked down solemnly at his untied shoes. “W-What?” He asked in disbelief.

“Yes, I do. If you’re afraid, I’ll let you run, I’m in no place to harm you.” She responded, looking up at the night sky with a sense of dreariness in her mannerisms. 

Her words surprised Takashi, even though she’d been affiliated with a set of foolish ruffians, this girl was oddly peaceful. She’d had no sense of threat in her tone, it was only comforting reassurances. Perhaps she’d been covering herself up with this facade to kill him, just like everyone else. This thought warranted Takashi to slowly step back, his eyes meeting hers, a soft glint of hope shining through them. 

“I wouldn’t advise you to go back there, it leads to one of the main roads. I’d recommend going left if you don’t want anyone catching onto you...” She advised while pointing over to the narrow passage on his left before she knelt on the cold ground. 

“Why?” Takashi muttered, his tiny voice echoing throughout the empty environment. “You’re just letting me go...”

The girl simply sat still, her hands in her lap, balled into loose fists. Her lips were parted, and her shiny black hair swished with the breaths of the wind. “You might’ve been the reason why Tetsuo has been injured, but it doesn’t make me any better if I hurt you.” She lifted her head to look up at the hesitant child, her eyes soft with a tenderness that made Takashi’s heart sting.

He was speechless, he didn’t get any sort of phrases out of his mouth—which had been left agape due to astonishment— as a loud gasp could be heard from Takashi could only recognize as the man who’d been chasing after him. 

“You’re here!! And unharmed!” The man beamed, moving past the quiet girl, not bothering to acknowledge her existence as he veered closer to the astonished “child”. 

The older man smiled warmly, his eyebrows raised with contentment. “Trust me, I don’t want to hurt you! My organization are the ones who got you out!” 

Takashi tilted his head. ‘Organization? They’re with him?’ He thought as he gazed up at the man, hanging onto whatever else he had to say to him. 

“You’re not safe here,” He sighed. “The area’s swarming with people who’re after you.” 

“Are they wearing white coats?” 

“Yes, and there are a lot of them—“ Takashi could hear the sound of footsteps echoing throughout the alleyway, and so did the other two unnamed people who’d conversed him. “YOU!!”

[ ♡ ]

ＫＡＮＥＤＡ

Kaneda heaved in and out, his breath ragged as he stopped in his tracks. His eyes first went to the emaciated-looking child who’d been spiralling what appeared to be a panic attack, as he’d immediately resumed his trembling once the biker’s presence had been made prominent. He noticed the aforementioned mysterious man, who made his eyebrows furrow with displeasure. And finally, was the nonchalant raven, her hair had been taken down from its ponytail, and was fluttering with the caressing of the wind. Gulping, Kaneda didn’t quite know what to do in the circumstance. The adrenaline had carried him this far, and it suddenly abandoned him. 

“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?” Kaneda said with a serious expression written across his face, his hands balled into threatening fists, clenched so tightly they’d threatened to go white. 

“Some other time, perhaps. We have to be running along.”

“Cut the crap.” Kaneda hissed, feeling annoyed and frustrated. “He and I have some unfinished business!”

“Kaneda, people are already after him, you can’t—“ Ranze had been cut off by the mysterious man, overlooking her words.

“I don’t have time for games.” The man spoke slowly, his voice echoing throughout the eardrums of Kaneda, breaking through his cocky facade as he watched the tiny, green boy cower behind the body of the man. 

“THEN GO!! MY BUSINESS IS WITH THE MIDGET, NOT YOU!!” The careless, brash behaviour of his was enough to evoke a sigh from Ranze as she stood up, shaking her head. “Are you gonna move?!”

They all remained silent, not daring to add anything else to the intense encounter. The man narrowed his eyes at the two teenagers, before slipping his hand into his coat pocket, revealing a pistol. Ranze widened her eyes, stepping back nervously as Kaneda could barely remain composed, swallowing his queasiness down as his life depended on it as Ranze’s life depended on it. He wanted to keep her safe, knowing she wasn’t the most skilled in combat as she had a gentle, motherly nature. 

“I told you I don’t have time for games!” 

Immediately after the words had been uttered, a bright, blinding light engulfed them. Kaneda let out a hiss as he shielded his eyes, the latter doing the same in an attempt to preserve their vision. 

“What’s going on here!?” A voice exclaimed, sending Kaneda in a state of complete panic. 

The unidentified man swung his head around to look at the juveniles, Kaneda could’ve sworn he’d nearly broken his neck with such an abrupt movement. “ **GET OUT OF HERE! RUN!!** ” He blared, warning them before it would be far too late.

Kaneda froze, fear paralyzing him in the worst circumstance possible. It’d been life or death in the scenario, and he was walking on a tightrope between the two. He felt warm, soft hand grasp his wrist, heaving him away from the scene. It was the nonchalant raven, saving him from a mistake that could’ve cost him his life. She didn’t say anything as she sprinted down the clearing with him, her hand squeezing onto his for what seemed to be dear life. They jumped over crates and knocking them over, creating obstacles for their assailants to buy time for themselves. 

“DON’T SHOOT! WE’RE NOT THE ONES YOU’RE AFTER!” Kaneda shrieked as Ranze pulled him down the alleyway, her hair swishing aggressively behind her, nearly going into Kaneda’s face as they, unfortunately, had reached a wall, leaving them with no possible directions to take for their escape.

“It’s a dead-end...” Ranze murmured, letting go of Kaneda’s hand as she looked around, her eyebrows furrowed with exasperation. 

Kaneda stumbled over his words, unsure of what he could say to the girl. And as morbidly expected, a light shined on them, making Kaneda instinctively jump in front of Ranze in an attempt to make up for her pulling him out of that pinch of a situation. 

“YOU IN THERE, FREEZE! PUT YOUR HANDS UP!” A man hollered at the two of them, a gun pointed promptly on them before Kaneda spotted a silhouette behind their assailant. 

“ _Don’t make a move... Throw down your gun._ ” A woman spoke, her voice eerily calm yet there appeared to be an underlying pulse of unsureness intermingling within it...


	13. ⌜ Kicking The Bucket of Love ⌟

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆...
> 
> Proceeding the catastrophic happening of the collapsing water tower, the four wounded teenagers retreat to an alleyway, in hopes of cooling down from the adrenaline. Baffled and bleeding, Ranze sets out with no clear motives, making her way through the rowdy crowd and the chaos ensuing. Eventually, she stumbles into a clearing, where she encounters the shrivelled, anxious child. She pities the poor boy and gets the point across that she doesn’t want to lay a finger on him, knowing he’s done nothing directly to warrant harm from her. Nearing the conclusion of their one-sided conversation, the unidentified man discovers the two of them, before jumping to convince the child that he too does not wish to harm him. Even later, Kaneda enters the concoction of disaster, before preparing himself to “fight” the child, ultimately making the situation worse.
> 
> Unnamed authorities ambush them soon after, the man quickly instructing the two teenagers to make a break for it. Within minutes of running for safety, the teenagers are left at a dead-end and an armed assailant comes to bring harm down upon the two. It is only there that they’re miraculously saved by the same beautiful woman...

The armed man hadn’t been willing to obey the woman’s chilling order, and this evoked the reaction of her pulling the trigger. Ranze stood still, watching as she single-handedly slaughtered the man, but had saved their life. Ranze watched as the man’s newly lifeless body miserably slid against the wall, leaving a trail of blood down with him, a squeamish feeling pooling over Ranze as she closed her eyes, taking in the sickening sight. 

“S-Shit... M-Mister? Hey...” Kaneda murmured as he shuffled himself over to the man who’d abruptly passed on. Ranze internally prayed, her heart enveloping in a mellow sorrow for the man. She turned to the woman, opening her eyes to look at her, nodding at her gratefully which she returned the gesture quickly.

“Come on! Follow me!” 

[ ♡ ]

ＲＹＵ

Ryu dashed down the narrow passage, dragging the tiny, trembling child by his thin arm. He roughly gritted his teeth as he skidded to a screeching stop, slinging the child to a spot behind him, an action that elicited murmurs and gasps from the curious bystanders that speckled the shopping centre. He clenched the handgrip of his pistol, his knuckles aching with defiance but he remained stiff as he fired a round of shots at his attackers. 

“THEY’RE IN THE SHOPPING CENTRE! CIRCLE AROUND THE OTHER SIDE AND CUT THEM OFF!”

Ryu pulled Takashi into him as they both sprinted down the corridor, shoving through the groups of people, not bothering to excuse their maddening behaviour as the lives of the two runaways had been on thin ice. The man groaned as he collided with a woman, inevitably causing her to drop her groceries, making her let out a loud, complaining holler as they escaped with no further words uttered. Ryu whipped his head around to look at the receding crowds of people as they sneakily shoved themselves into an abandoned channel.

As the two fugitives had finally separated themselves from the nosy, harmful people who roamed the streets, a car had been advancing closer to their whereabouts...

“It appears we’ve found **_Number 26!_** ” Suddenly announced the man who’d been seated in the passenger of the car.

The stern, authoritative man behind him raised his eyebrow. “What do you mean “appears”?” He asked, folding his arms as his eyes bored into his colleague’s.

“There has been no positive identification, but our forces are in pursuit of them now. _They_... have a gun.” The man spoke gravely, wiping the sweat that had been building up tremendously on his forehead. 

“‘They’?” The fierce man behind him retorted, before nonchalantly sinking back into his seat comfortably. “Very well. Contact the lab. Tell them we’ll be needing _**Masaru**_.”

“M-Masaru!?” The first man gulped as he turned around to look at the man who’d been dead-serious with his order.

“But... But Masaru is—!”

“Masaru may succeed where one-hundred armed men have failed me...” He whispered, narrowing his eyes seriously before roughly slamming his fist onto the door of the car, sending his subordinates into a panic. “Now stop wasting time and obey me!!”

[ ♡ ]

ＲＡＮＺＥ

Ranze glanced around at the filthy surroundings they’d passed while they’d tailed behind the mysterious woman who’d bravely rescued them. She was a fairly beautiful woman, with dark brown hair that’d been cut into a charming bob, making her appear alluring to the eyes of the younger teenagers. It was a reoccurring phenomenon that Ranze had homosexual tendencies she’d never particularly acted on until she concluded she was bisexual. She hadn’t confided with anyone about such a personal preference, and she didn’t need to. At least, not yet. 

“This way! Quickly!” 

Ranze turned the corner and caught up with the girl, before stopping with her, both girls catching their breaths as they waited for the boy who’d been slacking off behind them. 

“You two must be close. I saw you save him and his friends during that blast.” The older girl sat down next to Ranze, her eyes fixated on her with friendly interest. 

“We’re only in affiliated with each other, I won’t be saving him for a while,” Ranze spoke up quickly, debunking any of the girl’s thoughts if she’d believed her and Kaneda had been in any romantic affairs.

Speaking of the devil, Kaneda tiredly stumbled into the alleyway, his presence destroying the remnants of the pleasant conversation the two girls shared. Ranze stood up and listened in on the distant observations of the search party who’d been out for their heads, albeit seemingly. She straightened out her posture and looked down at Kaneda, narrowing her eyes slightly before quickly moving her head as he nearly caught onto her charade. 

“By the way, who the hell are you people?” Kaneda asked, “macho” confidence interlaced in his tone.

“That’s what I want to know!!” She interjected, her eyes widened with annoyance as she eyed the two juveniles that stood in front of her. “Who are you, and what’s your connection to the little guy?”

“You mean that pint-sized freak—“ Ranze quickly interjected Kaneda, in an attempt to block any sort of obscenities that would possibly offend their acquaintance.

“We’ve had some conflict with him... But we haven’t harmed him. At least yet...” She responded coolly, twisting her foot into the earth below her. 

“It’s good to know you’re a voice of reason here.” The woman started, slipping her gun back into her coat pocket, sighing softly. “Not that it matters. I can’t let you go now.” She stated simply before pulling her gun back out abruptly, alternating between aiming at Ranze and Kaneda.

Every time a gun had caught the vision of Ranze, she felt her heart subside into a puddle, possibly in fear, or with discomfort. Discomfort with the fact that she could easily be killed with a finger pressed to the trigger. But those feelings were buried deeply under Ranze’s being, not bothering to make a proper debut in real circumstances. 

“Come with me.” She said, her voice echoing with seriousness.

“My pleasure!” Kaneda replied in the blink of an eye, albeit not matching with the speed of the two girls, who’d already moved out of the alleyway, ignoring his “charming” facade,

“He’s pitiful.” The older girl said to the raven, who nodded slowly in response. His antics were enough to drive Ranze into a state of mania, no matter how meaningless each pick-up line was, or how clueless each girl was, this behaviour of his irked her to a great extent.

“I wouldn’t get hung over him. He’s not worth the attention.” Her words filled with bitterness as the two girls trudged down the path. Little did her acquaintance know, she’d had been subconsciously convincing herself the same thing. Albeit, it all remained futile as she had no use running away from the fact she’d been stricken with the plague of love. 

With the swarm of teenage angst and the musk of romance flourishing in the air, an underlying pulse of danger grew. As the brave—sadly, unidentified—man had fended off the violent round of bullets being targeted for him. He fired his pistol, an intent of mercilessness shining through his squinted eyes, protecting the tiny human who remained behind him in the midst of it all. He had a look of concentration painted on his face, gritting his teeth harshly as he ripped the spare ammo clip from his leg, before finding himself and the child ducked behind a damaged truck, clinging onto whatever security they’d left. 

He let out an audible grunt before reluctantly turning to the miserable boy behind him. “GET ACROSS THE BRIDGE! RUN!!” He called out to the boy, before leaning over the side of the truck to fire another round of brutal shots. 

»»————- ————-««

(( 𝐍𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞’𝐬 𝐏.𝐎.𝐕. ))

“We’ve received word he’s pinned down by the canal in the Eighteenth District, sir.”

“Well, when is Masaru expected?” The man asked. 

“His **_ETA_** is twenty,” His subordinate responded.

The aircraft had shown up to the scene, speaking in low grumbles that could shatter your ears if you listened for too long. Deafening to those who dared to listen in, brave enough to not shelter their ears from such an ear-splitting noise.

Meanwhile, a child left in a swirling, discombobulating state as he remained frozen. His nerves felt as if they’d burst with such an unholy pressure being bestowed upon them, all of it had been slowly killing him... Figuratively, of course. 

“WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!? GO!!” His saviour told him, amid the gunshots and yelling of agony coming from the wounded, although it couldn’t get through to him as wheezed out shaky, pitiful breaths. 

Before long, he grasped the paranoid boy’s wrists, wrapping around it with a stern grip that wouldn’t budge, even when they were on the brink of falling into such dreadful perils. In the blink of an eye, the man moved swiftly down the road, creating a safer distance for the two of them in the hopes of enabling a proper opportunity for the boy to make his departure to freedom. These brash movements were soon halted by the rough approach of a vehicle coming from behind, causing them to stop in their tracks.

“Oh, crap—!” The man cursed to himself as he frantically looked around as if he were a deer in headlights. “We’re finished!!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t really have much to say, but I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!


	14. ⌜ Treasuring These Tranquil Moments ⌟

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆...
> 
> Awestruck, Ranze and Kaneda witness their saviour shoot their assailant, who’d been on their tails. With no proper dialogue shared between these instances, the two are given instructions to follow her while awaiting the unknown. Meanwhile, in the bustling atmosphere of the Seventeenth District shopping centre, the unidentified man and the child are already running for their lives, guns firing aggressive rounds their way. Clinging to minuscule ounces of safety, the approaching authority beckons the call of a person named “Masaru,” much to the astonishment of his inferiors. 
> 
> Running for their lives, the man finds their attackers off the best he can, while simultaneously ordering the child to run away for his own good. Chaos ensuing, all the opportunities of fleeing have disappeared ... Has all hope been lost?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR 100 HITS! AHHHH

Another blinding light engulfed the two of them, already paralyzed with fear and suffocating with the ignorance of not knowing their fates. The surrounding area echoed with the cacophony of yelps and howls. These sounds pertained to their armed assailants. The rough squeaking of tires filled the ears of many, as a van spun rapidly before lurching into the wall next to the man and child. 

[ ♡ ]

ＲＡＮＺＥ

A thick, aggressive tension coated the air they all breathed. Ranze had been seated in the passenger seat of the mysterious van, her fists clenched onto the armrest of the chair. She had nothing to say, albeit she didn’t know what to say if she had the opportunity to mutter any sort of phrase. She scanned over everyone’s expressions, particularly at the infuriated driver who’d been next to her, Kaneda. She bit her lip before leaning over him, poking her head out the window to yell at the man who stood in shock.  
  


“ **GET IN!!** ” She roared, her fingernails digging into the frame of the window. She tried to make an inference on how everyone had been feeling during such a tense, chaotic time; but at this moment it seemed nearly impossible. She backed off from the window, finally closing her mouth and retreating back to the shadows, preparing to witness anything that would come her merry way. Her legs trembled with terror, eyes bloodshot with fatigue, knuckles stained a raw red and marred from the previous tragedy concerning the water tower.

“RYU! GET IN!! HURRY!!” 

“KEI!?” Ryu wheezed, his eyebrows turning up with surprise as he’d witnessed the woman had joined them in their escapade. He hoisted himself and the kid into the van before Kei had quickly closed the sliding door.

“I’m taking over, sit back with Kei if you’re so pleased to work with her.” Ranze calmly quipped before stepping over onto Kaneda, situating herself in between his legs. She roughly stomped on the gas pedal, her eyes narrowing with a fierce concentration as she drove the exceptionally damaged van through the massive crowd of troops.

Kaneda sat with his arms up in defeat, a very insignificant distance between the two as Ranze veered the car into a sickening rotation. The assertive girl whipped her head to the side, her eyes meeting the frightened ones of a troop who’d attempted to prevent their rash escape. Ranze roughly jerked her elbow into his face, not even daring to look at him as she impatiently bounced her leg against the gas pedal. She whipped her head around to look at Kaneda, who shifted his seating position to aggressively kick another man who’d tried to halt their departure. Ranze’s fingers frantically tapped against the material of the steering wheel as she internally prayed for the safety of Ryu and the unnamed child, as they’d been found in such a concerning state, it’d obviously sparked worry in the deeply sensitive heart of Ranze.

Kaneda had been sharing the seat with her, legs perched on the rim of the opened window, poised for the sudden attack of those who had the audacity to climb into the van. Ranze looked at him in annoyance as the feelings of anxiety, worry, and discomfort strongly combatted the adrenaline that’d coaxed her to take the wheel. She leaned against the dirtied seat, staring directly at the road ahead of her as she drove. Her eyes were filled with a terrorizing concentration that sparked worry of those around her, Kaneda included. Every now and then, she’d turn her head to check on the three people behind her, who’d tried adjusting themselves to cope with the insane circumstance. 

Ranze’s swishing, mellow thoughts were interrupted by the feeling of the older boy slamming himself into her. This movement sent Ranze into a surprised frenzy as she lost control of the vehicle momentarily, the van swerving sporadically before she regained control over it. Ranze turned to look at Kaneda, his expression careless as he crossed his legs.

“Don’t do that again,” Was all she said before pausing for a moment, regaining her composure, "I’m driving this vehicle because you drove it into a wall...” An exasperated sigh left Ranze’s lips as her eyes grew locked once again to the road, unable to battle with Kaneda’s eyes in a fiery staring contest. 

Kaneda growled while Ranze could only believe he’d tried to regard her words for a brief moment before completely turning his attention to the focused girl. “I know! You caught me off-guard with what you did is all,” Kaneda breathed, his voice a hoarse whisper as he stared at the girl who couldn’t return his gaze. 

“But, you can see how I’m doing this responsibly. The odds are in _**my**_ favour now,” Ranze smiled weakly, a smile—despite its visibility— that had proved her reliability as well as the hidden coyness interlaced into it. Kaneda raised an eyebrow playfully before crossing his arms and kicking his legs back up again.  
  


[ ♡ ]

ＣＯＬＯＮＥＬ

“Be careful,” The stern man spoke looking up at the military chopper, a look filled with intermingling fulfilment. He was internally grateful that such a tedious mad-dash would soon be concluding righteously, with the help of Masaru, of course. There was a brief moment of silence as the chopper opened, revealing men attired in posh black suits as they escorted the strangely futuristic machine down the stairs.

The Colonel could only watch as the light of the street-lamps revealed the pruned, miserable-looking child who’d been seated in the mechanism. Now, all that’d been left to do was retrieve _Takashi_...

[ ♡ ]

ＫＡＮＥＤＡ

“I suppose I ought to thank you both,” Ryu expressed, his typically powerful tone had simmered down to a more casual one, a one that Kaneda found easier to communicate with. 

Kaneda exchanged eye contact with Ranze who nodded gratefully at the man. The two had rested against the walls of the entryway to the tunnel, coming down from the intense highs they’d experienced during the nighttime. “Keep your thanks, Mister. Just remember you owe me one,” Kaneda laughed humorously.

Ryu nodded before retreating to Kei who’d been situated inside of the torn-down tunnel. This created the opportunity for an expression of vulnerability between the two teenagers as they stood in particularly comfortable silence.

“Are you alright?” Ranze suddenly asked Kaneda, examining the condition he’d been left in. He was littered with bruises, and his face had a seemingly permanent queasy expression. 

“Yeah, I-I’m fine,” He choked out, his forehead glistening with sweat as he propped an elbow against the wall, supporting himself. His voice sounded small, weak, and pitiful—at least to him. He hated looking vulnerable, especially in front of Ranze, who’d been fairly judgemental of a plethora of things. Yet, Ranze put her hands on his shoulders, before offering him a gentle, albeit seemingly exhausted smile. Ranze pressed her supple lips into a thin line before squinting momentarily. 

“I don’t... I don’t think you are,” Ranze confessed, her voice cracking with vulnerability at every vowel. It was so evident how much emotional and physical pain she’d been put through was just as much as his. These vulnerable moments highlighted how broken the two of them were.

“Why did you ignore me when we were with Kei?” Kaneda looked at Ranze, licking his dry, cracked lips as he searched for an answer from her.

“I was caught up in the rush, and I was angry with everyone, I suppose. I took it out on you,” Ranze answered, although he didn’t particularly enjoy being ignored by Ranze he didn’t fail to see the reasoning behind her words. Ranze was sophisticated and logical, and those aspects of her heavily combatted the impulsiveness and rashness of Kaneda. 

“You two! There’s something wrong with the kid, come look!” Kei spat as she learned over the corner, worry so noticeable in her voice, this caused Ranze to jump from Kaneda’s side to rush to the scene.

“He’s sweating and shaking like a leaf...” She mumbled to the two teenagers, who stood in silence whilst they observed the quivering boy in bewilderment. 

It was ungodly how much sweat this boy had been drenched with, the agonizing groans escaping from his lips endlessly pouring out as they all watched helplessly. All these horrible circumstances morphed together into an endless stream of perils, they could only glide through them all unscathed before they truly met their demise. Kaneda remained attentive on the boy’s movements until Ranze suddenly made her way to the child’s side, before wrapping an arm around him, caressing his boney back with tenderness. Kaneda had always known she’d been dubbed the “mother” of their group, as she was the one they all ran to whenever they’d been injured. It was the norm, but Kaneda was somehow mystified with how she could be so affectionate, yet so distant with others. The biker engulfed himself in a dream-like state as he watched Ranze pull him into a comforting, albeit loose embrace—as she’d no intention of overwhelming him. It was during these thoughts that something dawned on him... Something that sent him into a shock he wished that didn’t affect him so greatly. He had feelings for Ranze... Mystery and all, she amazed him.

It remained that tranquil for a couple of minutes until a pattern of rumbles had begun to shake and crumble the walls of the sewer tunnel. From that moment, they all looked down at the child, who’d let out a gasp that’d made the hairs behind Kaneda’s neck stand up. Not a trace nor speck of calmness remained, and those gentle feelings had abruptly been replaced with tremendous fear. Kaneda looked down at Ranze and the child, whom she’d shielded to protect him from the material collapsing from the wall.

“THE WHOLE PLACE IS COMING DOWN!” Kaneda yelled, a scowl painting his face as he looked around frantically.

“Your... power... It must be getting to you... We have to leave...” Ranze spoke up, before gesturing everyone to follow her out the tunnel as she secured the child in her arms, carrying him out with Kaneda and Kei behind her. 

Kaneda stood against the wall of the entryway, monitoring their surroundings before he heard the child let out a frightened yelp. He snapped his head to look at him and Ranze, upon being disturbed by how eerily still they’d both remained. 

“What’s that?” Kei breathed, her words being a mere whisper. Despite their volume, they were able to convey the astonishment that’d been interlaced into her tone.

Kaneda’s eyes fell upon the chilling sight of a shuttle-looking machine, floating casually right before their eyes. Soon enough, he noticed the child who’d been seated on the mechanism. Pruned, eerily blue skin and emaciated-looking would suffice in order to describe the child—who’s eyes looked solemn and tired as if he had no desire to be there whatsoever. Kaneda remained out of touch with the realities in front him, barely noticing Ryu poised next to him on his knee, his pistol readied. 

“Is that the army!?” Kaneda asked, to which he bit his tongue when no one gave him a proper response. He had no valid excuse to yell out, he could only acknowledge the presence that remained in front of them.

“ _Ta...ka...shi..._ ” Kaneda flinched when the sound of the child’s voice echoed throughout his ears. So young and childish, yet so different in comparison to his appearance. The biker turned his head to look at the child—who’d found out his name had been Takashi. Takashi watched in awe as if he’d been reunited with an old friend of his, as his mouth had been curled into a rounded shape. 

“ _Takashi!?_ ” Ryu shrieked.

“Is that your name!?” Kei exclaimed, the volume of her voice nearly sending the boy into a panicked state.

“I’ve come to take you back,” The child muttered, his voice croaking with sorrow. “We’re not like the others... We can’t live outside. Come with me... Come home.” Kaneda noticed the child’s open palm, which had the number twenty-seven printed on it, this sparked an even greater curiosity in Kaneda. 

Takashi fell to the ground, wheezing uncontrollably as Ranze tried to assist him in regaining composure. Her attempts were halted by Ryu, who had yelled incoherent nothings to the child that Kaneda couldn’t pick up on. Even so, he didn’t want to hear any more of it. It made him sick to his stomach, and it was only going to make things worse for himself if he heard any more. 

“ **Akira**...?” Kaneda heard Ryu as the mysterious child who’d remained composed throughout the whole interaction. ‘Akira? Who in the hell is that?’ Kaneda wondered, furrowing his eyebrows quizzically.

“No. I am not.” He responded simply. Kaneda saw Ranze shiver unnaturally, gripping the material of her ripped dress as she looked into the distance blankly. 

“And just how did you learn of Akira?” Boomed a voice from above them, thick with authority and intimidation. This sudden appearance made everyone whip their heads around to look at the brute of a man who’d been standing on the roof of the tunnel, looking down at them with discreet distaste. 

“Uh-oh...” Kaneda gulped as he heard the footsteps of incoming armed troops, watching as they all gazed at them with ferocity in their eyes, their guns aimed at them with killing intent. 

“Blast it!” Ryu hollered, frantically looking around at the men who had them all surrounded, leaving them with no possible opportunities to flee. 

“We’re surrounded!” Kaneda called out as Ranze slowly sat up with Takashi nestled in her arms, clinging to the safety he’d been offered in her arms.

The man from above raised an eyebrow, laughing darkly. “Don’t you realize how futile this is?” He politely asked the people below him who’d seemingly been blabbering absolute nonsense. 

“A pill... Give me... A pill... Hurry...” Takashi whined, reaching out the shuttle in front of him with a pitiful level of desperation that earned a solemn look from Ranze. 

“In a way, I’m grateful to you all. Obviously, we need to re-examine our security... Find the weak spots... The leaks...” The man noted, his eyes narrowing with hatred as he watched Ranze tenderly hold Takashi. “Even so, I’m impressed you got this far.” 

“Ryu, what do we do!?” Kei asks, her voice shaking with indescribable fear. 

Kaneda gulped, leaning over to Ranze and putting a hand on her shoulder, his lips next to her ear. “Let go of the kid, I got an idea, Ranz.” He murmured in her ear, smiling softly at her as she widened her eyes. 

“Don’t call me that...” She responded coolly before complying with his order, setting the child down in front of her carefully, making him gasp in surprise at the sudden loss of contact.

He then turned to Kei, bringing his hand up to her, gesturing as if he wanted something from her. “Give me the gun!!” He ordered, which she responded with an eye roll as she placed the gun in hands as if he had a death wish. 

Kaneda cleared his throat. “Right...” His voice trailed off before whipping his leg to kick Takashi, sending the kid into the stream of filthy sewage water in front of them. This a cacophony of gasps from the people around him, which made him smirk deviously. Winking at Ranze, he catapulted himself onto Takashi and clicking the gun. “FREEZE, SUCKERS!!” He blared, aiming the gun directly to the child’s forehead.

“You’re being foolish...” The man stated, clicking his tongue in disapproval. 

“ **I DON’T WANT TO HEAR IT!** ” Kaneda interrupted, his voice booming with a ferociousness that caused a stir within the groups and groups of soldiers. Just like he’d wished for. “For some reason, this little creep’s important to you! And this gun I’m holding has a hair-trigger!” 

The gruff man scoffed, his eyebrows furrowed in disbelief. “You still refuse to understand? Very well...” The man asked, before fixing his gaze to the equally-stunned child. “Masaru...”

“Colonel... Takashi is in a very bad way...” Masaru frowned, his voice laced with a pitiful worry. 

“Precisely,” The Colonel smirked, “Speed of the essence... And guns are of no use now.” He concluded, his voice was cold and stern with his observations. 

“KNOCK OFF THE CHATTER UP THERE! IF YOU LET US GO, THE FREAK’S ALL YOURS!” Kaneda hollered, harshly gripping the collar of the dreary boy, before turning his head to mutter something quietly. “ _Don’t worry, we won’t really hurt you..._ ” He clarified, making the boy less of a nervous wreck he’d previously been. 

“SO WHAT’S GONNA BE!?” Kaneda roared, reverting his attention back to the people gawking at such a confusing spectacle. 

Masaru trembled, his voice breaking with fear. “He needs a pill—”

“ **ABSOLUTELY NOT!** ” The Colonel hissed, his voice echoing throughout the well-being of everyone who was in his vicinity. 

Kaneda pursed his lips before craning his head to the Takashi. “Okay, kid... Get ready to do your thing...” He murmured. 

“A pill...” Takashi croaked, his voice eliciting concerned reactions from the people around. Perhaps it had been just the right amount of authentic that would send them all home, safe from the frightening perils of the night...


	15. ⌜ Floating Like a Butterfly ⌟

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆...
> 
> The three teenagers rush to the rescue of Ryu and the child—who’s name is presumed to be Takashi later on. Despite their particularly “crashing” entrance, they manage to escape with the clothes on their backs, mostly unscathed by such unfortunate circumstances. They seek refuge at a nearby abandoned tunnel, collecting their previously scattered thoughts as they share idle conversation. Ranze and Kaneda are left alone very briefly, Ranze comforting the nauseous boy the best she can, despite her status. They’re soon interrupted by a panicked Kei, where she leads them to Takashi, who’s in a frightening condition. Ranze attempts to console the boy before they escape the tunnel when it starts to collapse— due to Takashi’s powers slowly getting the better of him.
> 
> Soon cornered by the military, and an intimidating, buff man, the rebellious teenagers are left with no possible plans to retreat to. Kaneda inevitably gets a scheme going, despite Ranze’s initial scepticism... Could he possibly fish them out of this disaster?

It felt like hours had passed by in the lax mind of Ranze. They had been caught in an unnerving silence as Masaru had been exchanging anxious glances with the desperate child. Kaneda remained poised with the gun, his gaze shifting to the troops gawking at the spectacle. She knew he had been awaiting an answer, as she too had been fervently praying for this rendezvous to conclude itself. As Ranze indulged in her thoughts, she’d noticed Kaneda’s posture slacken, his mellowing body language signifying his verdict as his lips curved in a coy smirk. 

“ _So, I guess we’ll be going_.” He quipped. 

As Ranze hesitantly fetched her discarded bandana, she’d noticed Ryu and Kei exchange a multitude of confused glares, as if Kaneda had uttered the most foolish words known to man. However, the long-haired raven could only infer how frustrated the older boy had been, especially with how drawn-out the night had been for the two of them. The chilling yell of the Colonel sent Ranze spiralling out her thoughts, as she looked up—in a synchronized movement with Kaneda—at Masaru, whose eyebrows had been furrowed with displeasure.

“Hey, Masaru, or whatever your name is,” Kaneda suddenly called out to the boy, an annoyed expression painted on his face, “What’s your problem? Butt out if you care about your friend.” He explained, tightening his grip on Takashi’s collar. 

The moonlight bathed the area, illuminating the possibilities of any abnormalities occurring. A certain atmosphere of eeriness lingered in the air as Masaru’s expression dropped to miserableness, Ranze’s heart sinking with pity as she’d watched helplessly. As the darkness of the future painted the scenario, it created a rough, violent whirlpool around the place Takashi and Kaneda had been standing. Light gasps rang throughout Ranze’s ears as she slowly stood, her eyes meeting Kaneda’s before they partook in the trading of uneasy looks. A soft curse escaped from Ranze’s lips as the disgusting liquid bubbled around at sporadic intervals, threatening to viciously engulf the two in its disgusting matter. 

“ **HEY! WHAT ARE YOU—** “ Kaneda yelped, furthering himself deeper into trouble by shaking the poor child angrily. “ **STOP THAT!** ” 

“I-I can’t help it!!” Takashi sobbed, lulling his head back as if he had been drifting off into unconsciousness. There a disturbing feeling in the pit of Ranze’s stomach, a growing feeling of danger. She felt herself drift into an unsettling sea of paranoia, but this time, the waves were blades, poking at her skin harshly as if they’d rip her apart. The stillness of her body made her extremely uncomfortably, yet she’d convinced herself that she had to keep her wits about herself. This hadn’t been a petty squabble she could simply fish her and Kaneda out of, this was a deleterious circumstance that could fatally harm them. It was seconds after her legs had catapulted herself into the ring of fire that’d she’d been greeted with grinning face of danger, but she’d continued her descent until she’d seemingly shoe-horned herself in-between Kaneda and Takashi.

Amid the crying protests of Kaneda, Ranze took a shaky breath before opening her mouth. “No more of this...” She mumbled underneath her breath and turned to look at the astonished face of Kaneda, his left hand still roughly gripping the borrowed pistol. 

The pain in Ranze’s eyes greeted the disbelief in Kaneda’s. The more she looked, the more visible the glossiness of his eyes became to her, and it dawned on her he’d sympathized with her. It was if he was saying he understood her through the eye contact they shared. Before long, the filthy sludge slowly pulled away from the vicinity of the three of them, as Ranze quickly noticed Takashi, his face planted into the liquid as his body remained still. He possibly lost consciousness amidst the chaos and had been dropped by the ruffian who held him at gunpoint. The two whipped their heads around to fully take in the horrors that’d been occurring right before their eyes. Kaneda opened his mouth to shriek in a way that made Ranze’s blood curdle. 

“ _HOLY SHIT!_ ” Kaneda shrieked, while every inch and fibre of Ranze’s soul had been beckoning her to run with him, or at least shield themselves from the incoming threat. Yet, they remained still, as if they’d been asking to be defaced by such a horrible force. Kaneda crashed himself into Ranze, wrapping his arms tightly around her frame as if he’d been willing to protect her from the harsh peril that’d pounced on them so abruptly. Pain surged through her entire body as they’d been propelled into the air, clinging to each other like they were willing to reach their demise together. The feeling of losing her life pounded against Ranze’s ribcage, evoking excruciating waves of pain to hammer away at her being. It was then that she’d let out a high-pitched scream, her larynx possibly ripping with such disturbing vocals.

“THAT DID IT!” Kaneda screamed, his howls grew pitiful in comparison to Ranze’s blood-curdling cries.

The two teenagers pummelled into the thick, repulsive sewage water. Ranze’s cries installed a feeling of pity amongst the troops who had remained in their positions, their completely unable to tear themselves away from such a scene. The girl uttered soft sobs as she’d witnessed Kaneda had taken the most impact from the fall, this sent her into a spiralling feeling of guilt as he’d saved her once again. They were both in so much pain, so scared, so lost in the chaos. In the end, they were both lost sheep amid the terrors of the real world, and they’d been so harshly roped into its antics. Ranze flashed a look of sorrowful empathy as Kaneda groaned, her bangs covering her miserable eyes. As she readjusted herself—albeit the piercing pains in her side restricted her from successfully doing so— she caught a glimpse of the towering sludge dropping from above them... The thought hadn’t dawned on her so quickly, it was collapsing on them. 

Her vision hazed and weakness overcame her, she couldn’t move herself or Kaneda out of the way. She didn’t know if she had been greeting the face of depth, but she didn’t particularly mind. Yet, a pulsating message in the back of her head kept coaxing her to live, coaxing her to serve and protect her friends as they did so for herself. Although, before she could act on such rash thoughts, the two of them had been engulfed by such a rough force. It felt strangely warm, like her body was being tenderly embraced by a disturbing warmth... A warmth she’d felt before she had drifted off into uneventful unconsciousness.

[ ♡ ]

ＫＡＮＥＤＡ

Kaneda lit up with worry, as Ranze’s body grew stagnant, she wasn’t bothering to lift herself to escape. He looked at her pale, unconscious body before him, until her absence became evident to him. Thoughts of her dying circled throughout his head like hungry sharks, and he couldn’t stand to watch her float in the water anymore. He’d been acquainted with death at some points in his life, but he’d known Ranze hadn’t. So dainty, and so untouched by the intensities he’d been thrown into in his lifetime. He hoisted her out of the sewage, pulling her onto him as he pressed his forehead to hers: it was cold. He let out a shaky sigh before standing up, carrying her bridal style in his arms. 

“THEY MUSN’T ESCAPE!!” The Colonel yelled, his forehead scrunching up with fury as he hollered out to his subordinates, “SHOOT! SHOOT! GET THEM!!”

Kaneda’s ears rang as the rounds of shots had been fired at them, all while a horrible pain coated his entire body. He moved slowly, but even his tiniest movements created waves of pain throughout his entire body. He fluttered his eyes open and sat up whilst steadying the unconscious girl in his arms. He had no other time to think when he’d noticed the exchange between Masaru and Takashi right before his very eyes. He examined his surroundings before quickly leaping to them, adjusting the way he held Ranze so he could snatch the capsule Masaru had desperately tried to throwing Takashi’s way. He flipped Ranze around his arms, so her front could be pressed against his, her head lazily resting on his shoulder while his right arm was under her, supporting her. 

“Takashi, your pill—!” Masaru croaked before he finally threw the capsule in Takashi’s direction. “Catch!!” 

Kaneda scoffed in amusement as Takashi desperately watched the pill bounce from the rocky surfaces before it landed in the delinquent’s bruised hand, squeezing it tightly so it wouldn’t bother to leave. 

“IF YOU WANT IT, COME AN’ GET IT!!” Kaneda yelled at the child, shaking fist before nearly yelping when Ranze had nearly slipped out of his arms. He then caught a glimpse of the frighteningly animalistic and infuriated expression of Takashi, a facial expression that sent horrible tremors down Kaneda’s spine the more he looked at the child. 

The scuffed-up boy rose to his feet, wrapping his other arm around her waist before he sprinted away from the erupted geyser of filthy water. “This is intense!” He yelped as he hopped onto the clear platform successfully, turning his head to squeak out one final remark. “I’m outta here! See ya!!” He called back before disappearing from the scene. 

A sudden wave of worry overcame the boy. Would Ranze be okay? Her body was cold and wet yet her beauty remained. She was certainly unconscious, but he knew she could pull through it. She was a strong girl, after all a girl with a will that rivalled his. Her ferocity was one of the things that made his knees so effortlessly weak... And wasn’t willing to see her lose such a trait...

[ ♡ ]

ＣＯＬＯＮＥＬ

The Colonel tuned out the incomprehensible wails of his soldiers as he examined the panting and sickly body of Takashi, who lay before him with Masaru at his side. Amidst the chaos ensuing, and the escaping of the rebellious pair, the Colonel let out an elongated roar of aggravation. 

“WHAT THE HELL!?” Masaru gulped audibly and visibly gulped, his hands shaking as he looked up at the infuriated Colonel.

“You let him... steal...” He paused, the pearl-shaped beads of sweat on his forehead increasing as he sputtered in astonishment, “...the capsules!?” 

[ ♡ ]

ＲＡＮＺＥ

Darkness consumed her. It was everywhere, it was engulfing her, and it felt like it had been filling her. Although, it remained that way until a soft spray of hope—a beam of light. It was a shade that was unforgettable. She ran towards it, the invisible chains and the coldness that was infiltrating her skin dissipated. The roughness hadn’t been scraping against her skin anymore, and she felt like she could move. Her body jolted up, panting softly. Her heart wasn’t racing and maintained a steady pulse. 

“You’re awake!” Came the familiar voice of Kaneda who had been carrying her on his back. Ranze nodded slowly, too drained from screaming and running to even utter anything. He looked back at her and smiled warmly before perching her on a crate, pity and tenderness filling the depth of his onyx orbs. He looked at her as if she was so vulnerable and he treated her with such tenderness—attempted tenderness. Her heart twinged with guilt, and the feeling of burdening someone harmed her being, nonetheless she was still grateful.

“You passed out,” he began as he hoisted himself up to sit next to her, “I snagged the little guy’s capsule, and then I left with you.” He explained, looking at her for a reaction. Ranze didn’t know how to react, she had been so tired that it was particularly difficult to say something. Even so, she smiled softly at Kaneda, which he gladly returned.

“It’s late, isn’t it? Thank you for still bothering to help me even after all of this,” Ranze beamed, her genuine smile bringing Kaneda into a state of awe. 

“Don’t mention it. You’re my...” Kaneda paused, biting his lip before continuing, reverting the conversation to something else, “Do you live near here? I can walk you home...” 

“I don’t live in the Seventeenth District... I got caught up in the rush that I don’t quite know how I can get back...” She explained, twiddling her thumbs as she averting Kaneda’s gaze.

“I can take you to my apartment, and then when you settle yourself in, I can drive you back to your place later tonight,” Kaneda assured her, his voice as smooth and as warm as honey. 

“Only once. Don’t expect me to come back after this, I’m tired so I’m not making logical decisions anymore.” Ranze sighed before jumping off the crate, looking up at Kaneda with her sparkling dark brown eyes. 

The two teenagers started walking together towards the boy’s apartment complex. It was around three in the morning when they’d had trudged themselves up the stairs to the floor where his apartment resided. Kaneda opened the door, and the two stepped in, the putrid liquid from their shoes seeping into the rug. They removed their shoes and Ranze took the opportunity to take in her surroundings. The apartment was fairly clean, albeit very plain, at least in the living area. The walls were painted a dull cream and had various band posters placed in random spots. 

“You can take a shower first, Ranz. You can wear my spare clothes while I toss whatever is left of your dress in the washing machine,” Kaneda joked when Ranze nearly yelped in surprise, as she had been caught in her train of thought.

“Thank you...” Ranze quipped as she took the clothes from him gratefully before walking to the bathroom, still watching Kaneda in her peripheral as she shut the door. 

She stripped herself of the dampened, stinky and ripped dressed and her somehow unscathed undergarments. Ranze went into the shower and proceeded to rid herself of the filth that’d clung to her skin, the warm water gliding down the curvature of her back. It was heavenly to be able to clean herself off after such an ordeal, and it was equally wonderful knowing Kaneda provided her with his spare clothing. She proceeded to scrub the dirtiness from her hair until it was shining beautifully and smelling equally as nice, before stepping out to get changed—as she didn’t want to elongate her shower knowing he would be waiting for her. She slipped on the white and blue striped shirt, which had been quite oversized on her albeit it was comfortable. After the shirt, she put on the white shorts, which she’d inferred had been from when he was younger since they looked much smaller than what size he would wear. And surprisingly enough, the shorts fit nicely and even had an adjustable cord around the waist. 

Peeking from around the corner, a relieved sigh escaped her lips as she’d seen him reading one of his comic books, an adorable expression of concentration painted on his face. She smiled softly to herself, her heart instantly warming up. This precious side of Kaneda made her heart melt with sweetness, a teeth-rotting sweetness that sickened her, yet she couldn’t get enough of it. She wanted more of it, and she wanted to share more quiet moments with Kaneda because it was during those moments that they could truly open up to each other. Why did it have to be such a way? Why was it that she felt so jealous when he flirted with all those girls in the past? She was aware of her feelings, and deep down she knew, her feelings were spiralled around him and she loved him. So tenderly and affectionately, but her problem was that she didn’t know how to show that affection to him.

“You can shower now, I’m finished.”

“Ah! Oh, thanks, Ranz.” He jumped from his place, throwing his comic book over his shoulder. Ranze raised an eyebrow at the nickname and placed her hands on her waist, giving him a soft smile before retreating to the couch. 

** *** **

Kaneda chuckled and rubbed his nape, sitting down next to Ranze. “My bike is in the parking lot, we can leave soon.” 

“Ah, yes...” She said, her voice soft as she rested against plushness of the couch. 

He pouted, looking as if he’d wanted to talk with her as his pride seemed to grow with her dawning his clothing. “We can talk for a bit, we’ve got the rest of the night.”

“I don’t necessarily have anything to say,” Ranze spoke softly, throwing her head back to look at the ceiling.

“Oh, you know,” The boy whistled, scooting closer to her and possibly finding an excuse to pry into another vulnerable conversation, “How about our plans for finding Tetsuo...” His voice trailed off as he looked into her dark brown eyes, a look of comfort and safety amid those onyx jewels.

“You’re too much. You’re getting closer to me like you want something,” Ranze pointed out, reaching her hand into his hair and ruffling it affectionately. “If you want something from me, just ask. I do owe you for saving me back there.”

Kaneda let out a soft chuckle before gesturing to her upper body and pointing to his head, signifying something that made Ranze’s face heat up. “Let me rest my head on your shoulder while you play with my hair, you messed it up, after all.”

She sighed softly, internally debating whether or not she would comply with such a request. “I... I can’t believe you, Kaneda...”

“Is that a yes?”

“ _It’s not a no._ ”

Not wanting to make her too uncomfortable, Kaneda smiled softly and sinking himself into the couch, his head resting itself on her shoulder. Ranze took a shaky breath before threading her fingers in his newly-washed hair, softly swishing it all around his scalp. These tender actions made Kaneda sigh in contentment, his eyes fluttering shut.

“You know, I’ll give you five minutes before you drive me home. It’s late,” Ranze muttered as she got lost in his beauty, the way he smiled at her minuscule touches, the way his breath hitched when her fingertips gliding against the side of his face, he was so effortlessly beautiful and charming, it kind of infuriated her.

“Yeah, yeah... Just continue...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t really have much to say, I’m currently working on some character stuff for the story. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and thank you once again for 100 hits! I’m forever grateful for this, and I’m so glad people enjoy this!


	16. ⌜ Cupid Hotline ⌟

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆...
> 
> Still holding Takashi at gunpoint, Kaneda is losing steam in his antics as the night had been drawn out for too long. He manages to trigger a reaction from him, whilst Ranze attempts to wedge herself into the conflict to prevent any more harm to be done. Her actions are rendered futile when a violent current sweeps them up into the air, the two teenagers clinging onto each other with remnants of their lives hanging onto weak strings. Landing the disgusting water harshly, Ranze nods off into unconsciousness and Kaneda is left to carry her, before expertly stealing the pill from the clutches of Masaru as he had been trying to resuscitate his weakening friend. Boldly leaving the scene, Kaneda worriedly carries his unconsciousness comrade down the abandoned alleyways, only for her to gradually wake up.
> 
> Despite the chaos, the teenagers are still finding themselves thrown into private, albeit vulnerable moments with each other... Their bond inevitably growing stronger as they uncover more of each other’s weaknesses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning!! This chapter has elements of vomit, drug usage, and the purchasing of drugs. If you’re sensitive to that kind of content, I’d advise you to not read this chapter!

Ranze stared at the passing cars, her eyes dark and filled with nothing but pure exhaustion. Only Kaori and a few others could see past such an overbearing look; there was a glimpse of relief in her beautiful brown irises, perhaps a look of vulnerability. Her shaky hands placing themselves into the pockets of her jean shorts, which had been slightly distressed and worn out—albeit it looked fairly nice. She opted to wear a blue-buttoned tank top that looked oversized on her but it complimented the shorts wonderfully. Since her white shoes had been stained with the scum from the sewer, she dawned a pair of black slip-on sandals. Her hair had been left in a disarray that morning, so she’d ended up pulling her hair back into a scraggly bun that somehow completed the mess that had been known as her appearance.

There was an awful ringing sound in her ears, practically making whatever Kaori droned on about nearly impossible to comprehend. Her lips moved but she couldn’t wrap her head around what she was saying, as her vision had remained a hazed mess. Kaori’s fingers intertwined themselves nervously, threatening to tap Ranze as if she needed to bring the older girl back to the ground. As predicted, she leaned over and tapped Ranze’s pale, boney shoulder—the warmth of Kaori’s touch infiltrating the harsh coldness of her own.

Her body jolted unexpectedly, nearly sending the shy girl into a state of panic as she’d briefly believed she could have possibly frightened her dazed friend. Worry coated Kaori’s face as she leaned over to look at her, while the never-ending cycle of thoughts paced inside Ranze’s mind. She felt a hand begin to rub her back, comfortingly whispering words that had been inaudible to the numbing ears of Ranze. 

Ranze’s heart raced as she struggled to regain composure, however with a couple of meagre attempts, she managed to settle herself down which had been enough to understand the words Kaori had uttered to her. “Please, stay with me, Ranze. You’re okay, and you’re safe with me,” She whispered, offering a soft, delicate smile to the older girl. Ranze nodded at her, returning a pitiful, albeit genuine smile that eased the worries of the tinier girl. 

“We’re nearly at school, aren’t we?” She whispered, her voice hushed as she looked around the familiar surroundings of the boulevard. 

“Yeah, just a couple minutes... You blacked out there, I was really worried. Yamagata wouldn’t want to see you like this,” Kaori spoke softly before gently wrapping an arm around her friend.

“Would he?” Ranze asked with a smile, a hidden trace of numbness in her words.

“Of course!” She replied, escorting her to the graffitied gates of the school.

“They’ll be in the classroom by now, I believe. They all congregate there before class begins,” The raven explained to the short-haired brunette as they trudged up the dirtied stairs to their respected floor. 

Ranze stared at the ceiling, feeling an overwhelming pulse of warmth. The warm resided in tingles being sent all over her body, butterflies that only roamed around when her mind switched to the thought of Kaneda. She felt nothing but affection for him, despite his obnoxious antics and mannerisms. He had tried so hard to protect her that night and remained resilient throughout everything. The amount they had gone through together, it was so substantial to the two of them. She couldn’t hate him, in no way, shape, or form. They were both so broken, so lost. He wasn’t with her right now, and she didn’t know what to make of it. All she could take from it was that she hated his absence from her life. 

“There you are, we all thought you had been killed off. Kaneda told us everything...” Yamagata said as he sauntered his way over to the two girls, who stood in the doorway of the classroom. Ranze’s attention quickly shifted upon Kaori to focus on the tall, intimidating boy who stood before her. Their eyes met, and the girl hesitated for a moment, he quickly took notice of this concerning behaviour from her and turned to Kaori.

“I can take her. Just go sit down.” Yamagata calmly dismissed Kaori, grasping Ranze’s wrist as he led her up the aisle to where The Capsules resided. Ranze sighed softly as she sat down in-between Kaisuke and Yamagata, her eyes drooping with fatigue. 

“She can sit with us. I don’t want her to be alone...” Ranze spoke weakly, Yamagata regarded her emotions for a moment before smiling bitterly. The older boy hadn’t been used to smiling so openly, but his awkward attempts at smiling comforted the girl nonetheless.

“She can wait,” Yamagata shrugged, “If you’re feeling shitty just tell me. I can drive you home if you need it. But don’t expect me to do this for you all the time.” 

“Yamagata, are you being kind? How wonderful,” Ranze asked sarcastically, “I appreciate you doing this for me. Really, I do.” He groaned and opened his newspaper, hiding the laughable expression that’d been slapped onto his face.

The feeling of sitting next to such a calming presence was magnificent. Comfort saturated Ranze’s skin as she had been filled up with nothing other than sadness and pain. She still felt a slight aching absence in her heart, knowing Kaneda hadn’t arrived at school yet. Despite the circumstances, she was still capable of finding comfort in the warmth and loyalty of her friends. Ranze rested silently against the bench, the overwhelming sense of safety taking the reigns over her feelings. Releasing a sigh of contentment, a wave of joy engulfed her as Kaneda pushed his way through the crowd of delinquents, before situating himself next to her. The only sounds that escaped the soft, supple lips of Ranze were the inaudible, tiny breaths she inhaled and exhales as she took in her surroundings. 

“How’re you feelin’, Ranz?” Kaneda asked, his voice piped down to a more quiet tone, albeit it still had energy interlaced within it. Ranze could tell he had no intention of upsetting her despite the factors of last night that came into play. She felt oddly at peace with him, and the silence these two shared was undoubtedly comforting for both parties.

“I’m alive and well...” Ranze chuckled ever so slightly, causing a smile to appear on Kaneda’s face, “I don’t need any of you to worry. I can take care of myself, so it’s all fine.” Yamagata scoffed from behind his newspaper at her comment.

Suddenly, she stood up silently, her eyes hooded as she glanced down at her shaking hands. Ranze’s stomach lurched uncomfortably, and her throat grew dry as if it had been urging her to leave, nausea coaxing her to hurl all of it out. Feeling horrendously ill, she looked into the eyes of the teacher, who stared her down nervously. The hopelessness in her eyes begging to be let off the hook, which he gradually took notice of before silently dismissing her. Ranze pushed past the group of boys as she gnawed on the palm of her hand, holding in her urge to vomit before she entered the bathroom. She threw herself onto the filthy, tiled surface before leaning over into the toilet bowl to relieve herself of her illness. Coughing up droplets of bile, she rested against the stall, tears bubbling at the corners of her eyes. 

After regaining a sense of stability, Ranze leaned against the sink of the bathroom, her eyes gazing at her reflection. Emptiness engulfed the girl as she stared back at the lifelessly-painted girl in the mirror. She sighed, wanting relief from all the feelings she’d felt. Yet, she seemed to relieve herself in the grossest way possible by coughing up her insides in the school’s toilet. Directing her attention from the mirror before her to her own hands. The warmth of her palms was a rough contrast to the coolness of the metal sink before she turned the knob and watched the water drip onto her skin, soaking it completely. The numbing coldness of the tap was such a rough contrast to her sweaty palms, it was very odd—nevertheless, she enjoyed the cooling sensation. 

Ranze cleaned her hands thoroughly, making sure there was not a trace of spit or bile on them. As she completed this task, she monitored the water slipping into the drain before she turned to dry her hands. After doing so, she carefully examined the bruised skin of her hands until she was fulfilled with the fact there was no such trace nor spec of germs on them. Ranze left the dimly-lit bathroom without a second thought, entering the empty hallways. Hearing a trace of voices amid the air, she decided to check into the Nurse’s Office as she had been worried another one of these ordeals would occur. She knocked on the doorframe before sliding in awkwardly, her head down in shame as she averted the young nurse’s gaze.

“I heard about you,” The nurse smiled, raising her hand to beckon the girl to come over to the cot which had been adjacent to her, “You’re Hayasaka Ranze, correct? You’re a lot more beautiful in person, Kaneda-kun was right!” Ranze looked at the girl with a blank expression, before sighing softly.

“I wish I could say I’ve heard about you. My apologies,” Ranze mumbled, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear as she looked over at the girl. The nurse pondered for a moment before turning back to her desk, resuming her reading. 

A lack of enthusiasm surrounded Ranze the entire day. After the events of the previous night, she didn’t dare to say anything about it to the other boys as recalling those memories sent her head into a pulsing headache she couldn’t shoo away. A flurry of questions clouded the girl’s head as she lay comfortably in the cot. What has Kaneda been saying to the nurse? Were they connected in some sort of way? Ranze knew she couldn’t grasp the answers to these questions, so she inevitably remained tight-lipped. She stared at the ceiling, sighing internally and fervently wishing she had a better way of spending her time in the office. It was all a jumble of wide spaces, dull corridors, and the overwhelming presence of fear of the unknown. 

Ranze heard tapping on the doorframe before sitting up. She looked at the blurry figure before recognizing it as Kaneda. Ranze kept her guard up as he shuffled over to the corner of the room the two girls resided in. 

“Kaneda-kun? The doctor is in! I can’t give you any stuff right now!” She spoke hurriedly as Kaneda rolled his eyes, shoving his hands into his pockets.

“I didn’t come to make a pick-up, you know. I was looking for Ranze.” He groaned, an exasperated tone wrapping around his tone as his eyes moved to Ranze, who looked up at him quizzically.

“Well, I should tell you this now... I know we’re in an open relationship, but I think I might... pregnant...” The nurse sputtered, looking down at her feet in shame. Ranze’s eyes widened before she frowned in disappointment. ‘How foolish of the two of them to be doing this, I should’ve known about him. How stupid of me to believe I could get by with feeling these feelings, I’d be just like her if I followed through with him,’ Ranze thought bitterly, her lips pursing in distaste. She arose from the comfort and warmth of the cot, adjusting her shorts before moving past Kaneda and the nurse. 

“Hey, great... Can I have you watch it?” She heard Kaneda murmur insensitively before Ranze stormed up to him and roughly dragged her hand across his face, slapping sense into him. 

“You’re daft... Leaving her like this... Can’t you take any responsibility?” Ranze spat, her fists shaking with anger as she narrowed her eyes in disgust. It was there when she took in his features. A brutal, gleaming red mark had imprinted itself onto the tender skin of Kaneda’s cheek. Not only that, but he had a look of genuine guilt on his face that made Ranze’s heart sink with pity.

“I... Well, I’ve slept with other men in our relationship... It miiiiight not be him...” The nurse piped up from behind Ranze, twiddling her thumbs nervously as the older girl stared her down with a sceptical look before she sighed softly. 

“It doesn’t concern me, whatsoever. I’ll let you two settle this. And if you’re not sure, get tested. I’ll be leaving now,” Ranze quipped before sliding out the door without any other words uttered from her lips. 

She soaked all the words up as if she was a sponge as she walked down the corridors, her heart seething with fury—as well as the bitter feeling of emptiness. She didn’t have a chance with Kaneda at all, he was already moving on from girl to girl and Ranze could only be seen as a pawn in his little game. She suddenly paused momentarily to take in and comprehend all the new information she’d been presented with. In such a short period of time, she learned about so many different things. However, these happenings only deepened her queries, the queries she kept so deeply tucked inside the archives of her mind. 

“ _Ranze?_ ” A familiar voice asked from across the hallway. Ranze was taken aback from her silence and looked up to see the tiny silhouette of none other than Tetsuo from across the hall. Ranze held back a gasp before she bolted down the hallway, catapulting herself into Tetsuo’s arms. 

“My God, you’re alive...” Ranze choked out as she held Tetsuo tightly, her head spinning when she felt him in her arms again. She tried to hold back her worry as a swarm of their classmates crowded them. Their voices remained faint as she looked down at Tetsuo who chuckled softly at Ranze’s abrupt reaction. His dark hair remained messy but had been partly covered by strips of bandages secured around his head. He dawned his typical oversized, pale cyan hoodie with tightly-fitted jeans and his chunky boots that elevated him a bit—albeit he remained inches shorter than Ranze.

Ranze’s eyes fixated themselves on her comrades. An indescribable feeling began to bubble up in the pit of her stomach as she glanced at the comforting form of Yamagata. His expression was relieved as she watched him rise from his seat to wedge himself into the congregation of students. 

“You know, I never realized how motherly you were to us, Hayasaka. Should we start calling you ‘mommy’?” Yamagata teased as he ruffled the matted hair of Tetsuo as he merely let out an annoyed moan. 

“I’d much prefer you call your girlfriend that,” Ranze responded, a sense of playfulness wired around her words. As she conversed with her fellow Capsule members, she never broke eye contact with them; she wanted them to see the joy filling her being after Tetsuo had made his appearance. Yamagata had attempted to retort her comment but Kaneda spared him the words as he too, made an appearance. 

The volume of the classroom amped itself up as Kaneda shoved himself through the crowds of students to his friends. “TETSUO!” He hollered, astonishment lacing his words as he stepped closer to his bandaged friend. Ranze was undeniably shocked when she saw him, as she hadn’t recovered from the interaction she had with him and the nurse. 

“Kaneda!” Tetsuo called back to his, craning his head to glance at his friend with warm eyes. 

Ranze slowly began to dissociate herself from the loud cheers, drowning out the sounds of Yamagata’s declarations of celebration. Her mind travelled to the thought it always found itself revolving around—Kaneda. He haunted her every thought, every dream. It was his rough, tender skin that had been marred with bruises from his scuffles. His fluttering eyelashes and his eyes that poured endless amounts of loyalty and bravery. His comforting gestures in which drove her crazy whenever she needed them the most. No matter what drugs or alcoholic beverages Ranze consumed, she couldn’t wash away the burning image of him. Nothing would and nothing could. 

[ ♡ ]

ＫＡＮＥＤＡ

Kaneda hadn’t felt this way about anyone before. This unattended desire, this emptiness and desperation to have Ranze next to him and with him. But she was slowly drifting away from him as he yelled passionately. He convinced himself he couldn’t have her. Not after what she witnessed, her trust in him had been shattered. He couldn’t revert the way she thought of him now, no matter what. He tried to distract himself in any way possible, so he opened his mouth to speak once more to his friends. 

“LET’S PARTY! IT’S ABOUT TIME!!” Kaneda announced, raising his fist into the air triumphantly as a cacophony of cheers echoed throughout the classroom.

Tetsuo furrowed his eyebrows and looked down at his feet nervously. “I’m supposed to go to the hospital at seven—“

“FORGET IT!!” Yamagata quipped, placing his hand on Tetsuo’s shoulder, persuading him to say for longer. 

“Screw the hospital— We got better drugs!” 

“No shit!”

[ ♡ ]

ＲＡＮＺＥ

Ranze remained in deep thought as she walked out of the doors to the school, she was firmly placed next to Yamagata and didn’t bother to move from his side as he conversed with Tetsuo and Kaisuke. She knew Kaneda had been making another “pick-up”. She sighed to herself before turning around, not even bothering to mention the reason for her departure to her comrades. She trudged after Kaneda, soon catching up with him—much to his surprise. 

Ranze didn’t regard the boy as she hastily opened the door to the infirmary, her eyes focused on the nurse who remained seated at her desk. The two of them began to engage in idle chatter as Ranze paced around the office, her steps were careful as she paid attention to the dozing student who remained in the cot she had previously rested in. 

“Where did the stuff you gave me earlier come from?” The nurse asked gently as she read the lab report carefully, her eyes hanging onto every fleeting detail that had been printed on the paper. 

“Did you find out what it is?” Kaneda dodged her question aimlessly as he playfully riddled with the clear bag of pills. 

“Part of it... But it contains certain elements that defied analysis, at least by our equipment.” She sighed softly as she leaned back in her chair, her eyes still set on the paper in her hands. 

“So? Don’t keep me in suspense. The gang is still waiting for their stuff, you know—“ 

“We’re in a hurry, that’s all. We have limited time for trivial things to be said,” Ranze answered coolly, crossing her arms as she leaned against the wall.

“Erm... Well, compared to what was in your pill, those are candy. One grain is five times as powerful as the contents of the bag,” She explained, lifting her head to narrow her eyes at Kaneda. 

“What?” Kaneda responded, dumbfounded at such a surprising observation. It even piqued Ranze’s interest as she listened contently. 

“If someone took the whole thing, he’d go mad... Or die...” She said darkly, pursing her lips in disgust. 

“Oh, and one more thing!” She added, beckoning Ranze and Kaneda to look over at the lab report, to which they both complied, “It’s controlled under regulation Sixty-seven.” She pointed out, tapping her finger on the sheet of paper to where the fact had been stated.

“Which means...?”

“It’s a schedule one drug—the public doesn’t have access to it. Possession by a private citizen would be illegitimate.” She shrugged, twirling a strand of her shiny dark hair around her finger. Ranze only stared at her quizzically before sighing softly.

“Don’t you mean, ‘illegal’?” He corrected her, his eyebrows furrowed with distaste before he turned around, cursing softly as he shoved his hands into his pockets. The two teenagers ignored the further inquires of the nurse as they exited the office, not uttering a single word to each other until Kaneda broke the silence.

_“A monster sedative... For a monster...”_


	17. ⌜A Girl Who Was Thrown to the Wolves ⌟

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆...
> 
> Inexplicably nauseous and exasperated, Ranze is under the influence of the previous night’s rendezvous. With her worried friends at her side, the raven clings onto the very little bits of completeness as she struggles to make it through the day. Not very later into the day, Ranze falls ill and retreats to the Nurse’s Office. It is there that she converses with the air-headed nurse, who appears to be in a polyamorous relationship with Kaneda. Disgusted with their antics—and possibly heartbroken as her hopes had slightly gone up— she leaves them to bask in their foolishness when she’s stopped by the familiar presence of Tetsuo. She reunites with him, completely astonished after not having to see him for such an elongated period. 
> 
> With the group finally recollected, everything appears to be in better condition. Though, there’s an overwhelming presence that lurks in the air. Despite the lighthearted interactions between each other, Ranze can only grow suspicious over such a quick transition of moods...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: There is attempted rape in this chapter, so if you’re not comfortable reading things like that, I’d advise you to click off.

The mood darkened as Kaneda and Ranze bounded down the hallway, the teenager boy grasping the plastic bag of “goodies” while the raven lit a cigarette, her eyes narrowed in distaste. She chose to be held up by such tedious chores... Not that she particularly minded, as she the fact remained deep in her heart that if Kaneda was beside her, she could endure it, without a doubt. The two remained at a distant, subconsciously giving themselves space to think. It was only when Ranze noticed the fact that she had walked to school and didn’t have her bike at her disposal. She was to ride with someone if she wanted to tag along with the antics of her comrades. 

She noticeably slumped her posture as she stomped down the stairs of the entrance. No one could see the annoyance that had been so vividly painted across her face, but Kaneda had been practically suffocated with the nastiness of her glares. She wasn’t naïve when it came to choosing friends to ride with, she was quite picky about such a task. She was only willing to ride with Yamagata, who genuinely cared for her well-being and wouldn’t try anything to upset her. But the spot on his motorcycle had been already occupied by his girlfriend, who Ranze was too polite to bicker with. 

“Ranz, let me make it up to you. Can you ride with me?” Her eyes lit up as she slowly began to lift her head, their dark eyes meeting in another long-awaited reunion. He didn’t have the look Ranze had expected, as the sincerity glazing his eyes sealed his genuineness—he wanted to mend the new cracks in their relationship.

She quickly whipped her head around and watched as the other boys had already climbed onto their motorcycles. All Ranze did was roughly grip her bun, and undid it briskly, setting her black-liquorice locks free from their tight confinement.

“Your shoes are untied, and I’ll accept this offer. You’re not getting anything from it, though,” The older boy looked at her strangely before yelping, dropping to the ground to quickly tie his shoes so he could resume their tomfoolery. The boys around them remained startled with Ranze’s sharp presence as she flashed Tetsuo a small hint of a smile when she carefully got on the highly-advanced motorcycle. 

“LET’S GO!” Kaneda roared as he got on the bike, fixing his goggles over his eyes before cheekily turning to Ranze, “You might want to grab on, Ranz. This bike can knock you off if you don’t take the right precautions.” 

“Right,” Her voice was low, and quite scratchy—from her inflamed and sore throat that had been the result of her vomiting an hour or two prior. She scanned her surroundings up and down before wrapping her arms around Kaneda’s waist, her eyes moving to Tetsuo, “Do you like the new bike?” 

“It’s great. Where’d you get it?”

“Oh, someone left it in the street...” Yamagata piped up, revving his bike up to impress the giggling woman who had been sultrily caressing his defined biceps. 

“Thought so.” Tetsuo scoffed, slipping his goggles over his eyes with a grin curling at his lips.

The sly teenage girl leaned in, her chin resting itself upon Kaneda’s shoulder as her lips were softly breathing against the shell of his ear. “If you send any of us to the hospital tonight, I’ll make sure you won’t have a dick to impregnate any more girls with...” She purred in his ear threateningly, his body noticeably shaking under her tantalizing touch.

The older boy nodded quickly, his fear evident with the way he convulsed against her. “...Right, I won’t! Please don’t fucking do that to me, Ranz...”

Without any warning, the red beast of a vehicle catapulted itself down the stairs—sending pedestrians into a flurry of shrieks as the group of juvenile bikers made their way down the road. The whirring vibrations of the motorcycles send Ranze into an overwhelming tidal wave of nostalgia. She longed for these get-togethers, even if they were all reckless... She enjoyed it all, nonetheless. Knowing she was safe, safe with her people. A small sigh of relief slipped from the girl’s plump lips as she absentmindedly rested her head against Kaneda’s back, the thumping of his heart pulsing throughout her ear. She didn’t want to appear so needy, but she yearned for this kind of touch from him. With the wind blowing in her hair, it all felt right. Yet, she knew, things were left very imperfect, especially with the trouble they would find themselves spiralling into later that night. 

[ ♡ ]

ＣＯＬＯＮＥＬ

The liveliness and beauty of the Neo-Tokyo scene were providing an adequate sight to the Colonel, who gazed down at the colourful lights that made his eyes squint with irritation. His posture had been straight, with his hands firmly tucked behind his back as he observed the unfolding of the night. After the relentless goose chase that had occurred the previous night, surely today would elicit a fresh start for them all. Perhaps it would be an end to the redundant mayhem he has to put up with. He attempted to get his mind off of the case of Tetsuo Shima—as it was truly a peculiar one. On a more personal note, the thought of that teenage girl, the girl whose name he presumed to be Ranze. ‘ _Ranze... Such a delicate name, a name only Hana could come up with. She’s her spitting image... However, I’m blowing this out of proportion... I’m completely sure that she’s not in any way related to Hana or myself..._ ’  He thought before opening his mouth to speak, his lips dry and cracked with the number of times he had bitten them.

“His name is Tetsuo Shima,” The aged, raspy voice read aloud, “He attends the Eighth District Vocational Training School. As well as being hurt... In the accident Takashi caused the night he escaped... On the highway in the Old City...”

The old man scanned the plethora of papers he held in his shaky hands before shuffling them, gazing incredulously at the reports. “Because it occurred there, we had brought him here... Also, something turned up in the electro-encephalogram...”

“We checked and rechecked it. There’s a pattern to his brain waves I’ve never encountered before...” He sighed, coughing slightly as he tried to clear his throat of the phlegm building up in it. 

“How old is he?” Colonel Shikishima enquired, frowning slightly at the information he had been presented with. 

“Fifteen years, seven months...” 

“What are the chances of him developing?” 

The scientist furrowed his eyebrows, looking up at the Colonel—sending him a look of professional seriousness. “There’s always a chance. In one case, a subject awakened when he was eighteen.”

“He should be here by now! It’s already eight o’clock!!” The Colonel exclaimed, pacing around the office. 

“Is... he being tailed?” The scientist grumbled, straightening the stack of papers as they had been left in disarray. 

“Naturally!!”

“Erm... Perhaps you should contact your operatives—“

“I’M DOING THAT NOW!!”

[ ♡ ]

ＫＡＮＥＤＡ

The ringleader of the chaos wrapped his leather coat around his body tighter, while simultaneously maneuvering the bike to a shrieking halt in an empty passage. Ranze had been shivering behind him, her arms placed obediently around his waist, supporting herself so she wouldn’t go tumbling pathetically off such aesthetically and technologically-advanced motorcycle.

“Is there something bothering you?” She asked softly, bobbing her knee against the bike and looking around her surroundings as she had always done. Kaneda simply clicked his tongue and threw his head back to look at her and the others.

“Where’s Tetsuo?”

Before Kaneda could even exhale another breath, Tetsuo’s motorcycle shot out from behind them, speeding ahead with no hesitation. Kaneda ran a hand through his hair as he scoffed, his eyes catching the sight of Tetsuo’s cocky smirk. “You got out of there quick!” Kaneda called out to his friend, beaming from ear to ear, “Well...”

His heart skipped a few beats as he witnessed Ranze craning her head to look at the sky above them, the lights of the city reflecting in her beautiful dark eyes. His stomach churned as her mouth was left agape, her supple red lips calling out to him teasingly. Surely enough, she had a red string of fate wrapped around her finger, a string that symbolizing the fact she was willing to stay—and he knew wholeheartedly he couldn’t take advantage of her in such a way...

“Looks like everyone’s here...” Yamagata groaned, his words sending both Ranze and Kaneda out of their dazed absences. The leader grinned mischievously before chuckling excitedly, his female accomplice narrowed her eyes at him—her gaze burning holes in his skin.

Kaneda sent his bike into a flashy, albeit jolting movement backwards, the physique behind him tensing noticeably, an unreadable expression imprinted on her face—though Kaneda knew she sincerely enjoyed his antics. 

“ ** _SHOWTIME!!_** ” He roared as Ranze deadpanned, leaning her head on his back as the motorcycle bolted forward. 

Kaneda’s “battle cry” cut through the rowdy atmosphere, eliciting the escape of an exhale through Ranze’s lips at his craziness. Her small body clung to his as he expertly swerved the motorcycle around a narrow passage, the contact between the two teenagers increasing as the girl behind him stuck to him, seemingly craving warmth. Kaneda turned his head to look back at the girl to check up on her before his heart dropped. Tears had been streaming down the curvature of her cheeks, yet the look in her eyes remained blank... So empty and tired...

_She_ was beautiful.

The tender squeeze of his warm hand sent her out of her daydream as she looked up at him, who was equally dazed as she had been. “You good there, Ranz?” He muttered over the wind, looking down at her with tenderness in his eyes.

Ranze squeezed his hand back, scrunching her face up as she shook her head violently, trying to dry the tears so her vulnerability would disperse. Though it still lingered between the two of them. “Keep your eyes on the road,” Ranze whispered before sniffling slightly, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. 

Their moment had seemingly been spoiled when the obnoxious wailing of sirens could be heard, which caused Ranze to jump up unexpectedly, her body tensing against his more than it did previously. 

“ _THIS IS THE POLICE!! YOU ARE IN VIOLATION OF THE LAW! PULL OVER!_ ”

“You wanna bust us, you have to work for it!” 

“ _This is car #375. A band of motorcyclists driving with extreme recklessness is heading south on Highway 14. Request other vehicles to take a position to intercept—_ “

“ _ **EVERYBODY SPLIT UP!**_ ” Kaneda hissed out, his fellow ruffians getting the picture and quickly getting into their positions, all of them in a collective fear of apprehension from the authorities. 

“RIGHT!” Tetsuo spoke up and nodded to Ranze, who returned the gesture.

“LITTLE PUNKS!”

“NOW!”

Just then, with enviable synchronicity, the group of delinquents crisscrossed past each other, blasting themselves away from the scene with a class only they could pull off...

[ ♡ ]

ＴＥＴＳＵＯ

Tetsuo gulped, eyes trained on the illuminated signs and buildings that passed him. He had a wickedly mischievous grin on his lips—his dark eyes daunting a shade of pride, his hair blowing carelessly in the wind. He threw his head back, laughing loudly and happily, “This is great!”

He uttered a tiny groan as his expression softened, looking back nervously as he caught the sight of a group of unknown delinquents tailed behind him. Panicked, blood rushed to his ears when he tried to speed up his motorcycle. He ultimately let out an elongated groan before exchanging incomprehensible moans for actual words.

“Who the hell are you guys!?” He cried out, his eyes scanning them nervously as he spoke. 

They remain tight-lipped, before viciously whipping a cord—which had been accentuated with bolts and bobs—onto the visor of his bike. Tetsuo gasped, his eyes squinting shut as glass flew into the air in a set of uneven, jagged shards. The force was enough to send Tetsuo flying off his bike, hitting the ground harshly before rolling roughly against the dirty pavement. He could feel his goggles rip themselves off his face as the sensitive skin of his forehead tore open, blood bubbling from the fresh wound as he groaned in pain.

The ringleader of the delinquents stamped his foot onto Tetsuo’s shoulder, rubbing itself into the material of his cyan hoodie. The biker’s eyes were hooded, and unreadable as they traced over the alarmed boy’s features before a dark chuckle escaped from his lips.

“Samatter, kid, didn’t anybody tell you it’s bad manners to go playin’ on someone else’s turf?” He spoke in a hushed tone, his rancid breath fanning over Tetsuo’s face as the boy subconsciously repulsed.

[ ♡ ]

ＲＡＮＺＥ

The air around Ranze grew hot, the warmth from Kaneda’s back emitting onto her. She was frozen in place as he continued to maneuver the bike through the narrow alleyways, the act of escaping the police sending her into a huge spike of adrenaline. Her heart pounded against her rib cage, and she couldn’t resist the urge to act on those urges...

“We’re near The Clowns’ territory... We have to move out of here, Kaneda.” The hurried tone of Ranze caused the older boy to erupt in a fit of laughter.

A burning sensation tickled her cheeks before she pulled his ear, causing the delinquent to shriek in pain. “C-Careful!” Kaneda tsked, stabilizing the sudden wavering movements of the motorcycle, “You’ll send us both to the hospital, Ranz!”

“You’re thinking of yourself, aren’t you? After all, you’ve escaped with more damage than I did when you protect me...” Ranze spoke softly, closing her eyes as the blush subsided from her pale cheeks.

“You like it when I hold you, don’t lie to yourself...” Kaneda began, speeding up the motorcycle to which Ranze reacted with a groan as she tightened her arms around his waist, her eyebrows furrowing in disdain. All of a sudden, Ranze opened her eyes as she heard the faint hollers of a familiar voice, which made her tap Kaneda aggressively to alert him.

“Stop... Stop! I’m getting off!” She demanded with a hiss, her hands balled into fists as Kaneda cried out in response, sending the bike to screeching stop. 

“I’m going to look... Follow if you dare to...” The raven spoke calmly, running towards the conclave of boys aggressively throwing their legs onto a helpless boy. 

“Fucking hell! Now some bitch is here to help you!” Their leader snarked out, his hand gripping even tighter onto the stained material of Tetsuo’s hoodie.

One of the boys barked out a deep, hoarse laugh before approaching Ranze slowly, his eyes scanning over her like she was a meal that had yet to be devoured. “She’s a pretty one... I wonder if she puts up a fight...” 

The air was thick but remained silent—despite the echoing cries of Tetsuo’s agony. Ranze’s eyes flickered up to look at the delinquent, who was, for a lack of a better term, absolutely hideous. His teeth were tinted a rotten yellow, and disgustingly crooked, whilst his eyes spoke phrases of filthiness, as evil had lurked behind them. He moved his hand to her shoulder before she threw her knee into his crotch—sending the boy to his knees as he yelped.

“I do. I’d much rather you hurt me, just don’t lay a finger on him...” She muttered in disgust, her eyes glowing with pure hatred for such scum. And just like that, she was thrown against the brick wall of the alleyway. The ringleader had her arms pinned as he viciously attacked her neck with bites—these elicited a strangled cry from the girl as she roughly squirmed against his roughness. 

She was in a state of pure fear, she grew lax as the delinquent proceeded to pull down her shirt, his mouth latching itself over her uncovered chest. She noticed that the other boys had distanced themselves from Tetsuo, leaving him on the ground as they moved over to Ranze and their leader. Ranze trembled aggressively under their touches, their hands gripping at her breasts like they belonged to them. Despite how disgusted she felt with herself, she was ultimately doing this as a way to divert their attention to her—to not harm Tetsuo. Tears poured down her face as she fought against their roughness, the fire in her heart burning, trying to combat their hands before they could take everything she had... 

Ranze let out a shriek as one of them dipped their hands into her shorts, her eyes widening with fear before she spat into the eye of her assailant, sending her onto the ground. She adjusted her shirt to cover her bruised chest as she scurried over to Tetsuo’s side, her cheeked stained with tears when she hopelessly looked down at him, before flashing a broken smile.

“Are you... alright?” She asked, mulling over her thoughts aloud. Before the boy could answer, she heard the incomprehensible cry of Kaneda... Despite his presence, she was ashamed of herself. The two boys could see how weak she was in such a situation. It was if his entrance was there to reassure the both of them. As the panicked yells of their attackers filled the atmosphere when Ranze’s eyes darted up to look at Kaneda, tears drowning her eyes in their sockets.

“Kaneda—?” Ranze was cut off by the abrupt warmth that encircled her shivering body. Kaneda had taken her into an embrace, his arms tightly wrapped around her, his head burying itself into her shoulder. 

“I’m one call away... I’ll run to help, just fucking say my name and I’ll help...” He gritted, his embraced locking even tighter around her as the pearl-shaped drops drizzled down the girl’s porcelain cheeks. He meant it, wholeheartedly...

A voice behind them suddenly piped up during the intimate moment, “You... You’re a dead man, _**scumbag**_...” He snarled as he wiped the blood from his face, his eyes containing pure, unadulterated rage...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Sorry I wasn’t very active this week, but I’m off for three weeks so I’ll be writing quite a lot... Anyway, to justify Kaneda not immediately showing up to the scene, I didn’t write out the fact that they were in an alleyway that lead to the space where Tetsuo was, and Ranze was sent to investigate while Kaneda stayed. If that makes any sense... But I hope you all enjoy this chapter! And stay safe, everyone! 
> 
> Lots of love,  
> The author (not willing to share my name lmao)


	18. ⌜ Promises Only They Can Keep ⌟

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆...
> 
> Mildly infuriated with the sleaziness of Kaneda, Ranze storms out of the school alongside him after their newly-found discover of the “monster sedative” pills. With the tedious situation she’s in—her motorcycle being left at her apartment complex—resulting in Ranze having to ride with one of her comrades.
> 
> On the other side of the city, Colonel Shikishima is left in internal turmoil as he questions the case of Tetsuo Shima—as well as the more personal case of Ranze, who reminds him of a woman named “Hana”. With the mind-boggling results Onishi provides him, Colonel is left angry with an array of decisions he has to make to prevent any more similar disasters to occur.
> 
> The Capsules are being tailed by the authorities before rightfully splitting off. Kaneda, Tetsuo, and Ranze find themselves in the renowned “Clowns’” territory, much to the displeasure of Ranze, who advises Kaneda to make a break for it. Before they do so, Ranze is caught off-guard with the conclave of ruffians beating around a familiar boy... 
> 
> With the night still ahead, what other fears are lurking in the shadows?

“Why’d you come back?” The young leader hissed to the latter, as they’d parked themselves right next to where Kaneda and Ranze stood. Tetsuo, on the far hand, had been mercilessly clobbering one of their rivals—for the avenging of himself and the girl who risked her sanity to protect him. 

“We lost them...”

Ranze quickly shook her head, composing herself once more. The event of her being nearly raped didn’t eat at her heart as much how weak she looked. How could she protect her friends if she was left vulnerable? Her eyes flickered to Tetsuo, who had still dragged on his ruthless assault on the delinquent who had nearly taken the girl’s daintiness away. The boy had pathetically slumped onto the ground, his body nearly lifeless as Tetsuo continued to pummel him with no remorse. 

“Tetsuo, stop. You’ve done enough.” She muttered, a frown plastered across her face as she turned to him. 

“Not while he’s still breathing!” He objected, throwing his arm back as it dripped with a vulgar, crimson liquid that belonged to his victim. 

“ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL HIM!?” Kaneda interjected making Tetsuo jolt in surprise before the older boy roughly grasped Tetsuo’s wrist. Preventing him from doing any more damage to the other party. 

“ _ **YES!**_ ”

The younger boy looked as if he had been drifting into the heavy waters of mania, his eyes spoke words beyond the definition of deranged. They were no longer warm, they were cold and distant. So far from the present realities that it was alarming, and it triggered Ranze to wedge herself calmly in between them, her arm placed reassuringly on Tetsuo’s shoulder. She was doing this in an attempt to subside his concern for her, as well as his ego. He had nothing prove her, and he had nothing to avenge, at least on the surface. Tetsuo scoffed and broke free from both of their grasps, his eyes narrowing with disdain.

“I don’t take orders from you.” He exhaled sharply, stepping forward in feigned intimidation as his eyes locked onto Kaneda intensely. These actions engulfed Ranze and Kaneda into a tidal wave of astonishment as they grew convinced Tetsuo hadn’t been sticking true to himself.

Kaneda challenged Tetsuo’s foolishness and pulled away, cupping his hands into fists, peering back into the empty void that had become Tetsuo’s eyes. “Say what?!” He scowled.

“I said I don’t take orders from you, Kaneda,” He hissed, his voice enlaced with venom as the words left his mouth, “You got that?” 

Ranze could only thank the heavens that Kaneda didn’t choose to scuffle with his friend, he simply stared him down for mere seconds before turning around, obviously disinterested in the interaction. Perhaps he was sick of the egocentric attitude of the boy in front of him, understandably so. Truthfully, Ranze didn’t take a liking to it either and was quite infuriated with such behaviour coming from him. She wasn’t willing to provoke either of the boys with her cold remarks, so she remained calm and collected. Ranze knew both of them well, and she understood that Kaneda’s roguish attitude clouded his true loyalty. And for Tetsuo, his feigned ignorance disguised his spite. 

“Ranze~ Are you okay?” He asked, a glint of curiosity in his dark chocolate eyes.

“I’m fine,” Ranze began, “You’ve done enough here. It’s late, and we should all be leaving. We’ll all be apprehended tomorrow if the authorities catch onto this.” 

Tetsuo pursed his lips, humming carelessly as he stuck his hands into his pockets, swaggering away from the older girl. “I can’t wait to find out if you’ll be on Kani’s side for this...” He chirped, smiling devilishly as he got onto his bike. 

Ranze could only restrain herself from uttering anything else, and instead, turned her body to Kaneda. He greeted her with a soft smile, subsequently causing the girl’s heart to melt with the heat of tenderness. She bottled up her love for him, despite how futile her attempts remained. She found it hardest whenever Kaneda would be so adorably reckless, his stride confident and boisterous. His wide smile sent shivers down her spine, and the way he held her made her feel so secure. He was a vessel of charming loyalty that he endlessly poured onto the people he cared about. Ranze was truly convinced it was a privilege to be on the receiving end of that affection, which she had been very few time—albeit she had been convinced it was platonic. She could only crave more as she learned more about him, and as he learned more about her.

[ ♡ ]

ＣＯＬＯＮＥＬ

It had been a tedious week for the man. He hadn’t gotten over the two possibilities of Tetsuo’s powers emerging it something truly sinister, as well as the case of Ranze—more specifically her connection to Hana and himself. Nonetheless, Hana was gone, and the grief that’d struck him sixteen years ago still hadn’t subsided. She was his only niece, and he was instructed to watch over her as an experiment who manifested psychic powers. He felt so guilty over her death, as he hadn’t been present during such an event. She had been impregnated by some nobody when she escaped the facility—unwillingly. Her body was nowhere near strong enough to bear a child, yet she more than happy to... Why? She was taken advantage of, and used to the greatest extent, only to die in the end. He never met this child, and he could only speculate who the child had been. 

Colonel Shikishima was sleep-deprived, to say the least. He tossed and turned in his bed the night before. The flashing visions of Hana filled his head, and he tried to assure himself, albeit it was to no avail. He hated to admit it, but he was nervous to see the lab results—as he had previously scavenged the bandana Ranze kept from her arm. With the remnants of DNA on that article of fabric, he was able to hand it in to the lab for a test to examine whether or not she was related to Hana and himself. 

He sighed softly, walking down the drab corridors before stopping at a tiny section of the clearing. It was a memorial for the experiments who had been killed, either by the results of Akira or by the overwhelming strength of their psychic powers. He sentimentally eyed the portrait of Hana on the wall. She was a fairly beautiful girl, with long, shiny black hair and dark chocolate eyes that emitted endless amounts of love for the people around her. ‘ _My dear Hana, why must you let people use you like this? Please, continue to rest well for the sake us of all_ ,’ he internally prayed before continuing his voyage down the corridor. 

He soon found himself standing at the doors to the laboratory. He knew he mustn’t dawdle, so he brought his large hand to grip the doorknob. He twisted it before entering inside the facility, only to be greeted by the head scientist, Doctor Onishi. 

“Ah, Colonel Shikishima, welcome!” Doctor Onishi greeted professionally, only to be shut down by a stern grunt by the intimidating figure, who followed the tiny old man into the laboratory. 

“The results, are they here?” He uttered bitterly as he slammed the door behind him shut, tailing the scientist with piercing eyes. 

“Well, yes, we have them—“

“Then quit dawdling. You know I’m busy and you choose to waste my time.”

Onishi gulped before scouring the vast room, pushing past fellow scientists as he endlessly searched for the results. The authoritative man stiffened, visually annoyed with such an inconvenience. How could an old fool like Onishi be such a highly-ranked scientist? Even so, Colonel Shikishima kept his lips tight as his eyes followed the sporadic movements of the aged man. 

“Ah, here they are.” The old man croaked, shuffling the set of papers as he moved back to his previous spot, which had been directly in front of the Colonel. 

Colonel Shikishima heaved a heavy sigh, keeping his hands tightly pinned behind his back. “Tell me, then.” He spat, and the old man’s expression had instantly been replenished with urgency. 

“Ranze Hayasaka is indeed... related to yourself and beloved Hana,” The old man emitted, licking his finger as he turned the page to the report, “And on top of that, Hana’s powers are hereditary. Meaning, there is a chance that Ms Ranze could have one of the two powers Hana had.”

“Is she in danger?” The Colonel interjected, his astonishment nearly showing through his tone.

“No, not necessarily,” He began, “Hana’s powers were exceptionally weak. Her powers were just healing and retrocognition. They took a large toll on her body, and that was because she was already struggling with bulimia... Ms Ranze doesn’t appear to be suffering from any medical conditions, and if she does inherit one of these powers, it won’t create any possible handicaps for her. Although, her body will grow considerably weaker over time. That’s why we need to have her here for testing, as well as Tetsuo...” The old man concluded, calmly placing the lab reports on his desk.

[ ♡ ]

ＫＡＮＥＤＡ

Ranze and Kaneda left the scene and escaped to the girl’s apartment—which had been left empty due to Kaori running errands and the other female roommate had probably been with her boyfriend. Kaneda huffed as he seated himself on the ground next to the coffee table and carelessly kicked his feet onto it. He watched as Ranze returned from the kitchen, dressed in an oversized grey hoodie with her tied back into a high bun. In both her hands, she held two mugs, both containing a mysterious liquid Kaneda couldn’t see so he offered her a contemplative expression.

She sighed softly, and sat down on the other side of the coffee table, setting down the two mugs in front of them. They both emitted a fair amount of steam, and it smelled very appetizing. Like honey and cinnamon... 

“If you don’t me asking... What is this, Ranz?” He asked.

“It’s spice milk, Kaneda. It’s just hot water, milk, cinnamon, and honey.” She explained, her index pushing the mug closer to his side. Kaneda could only lick his lips adorably, his thirst growing evident for the nicely-scented beverage.

“Kaori taught me how to make it. It’s a good way to relieve yourself,” She said, before eyeing him as he nearly pressed his lips to the rim of the mug, “Don’t drink it yet, it’s hot.” 

Kaneda would be more than delighted to burn himself if he got to indulge in Ranze’s cooking. And that’s what surprised him the most, he knew he was willing to get into harm’s way if it were for her. “So? I’m a biker, Ranz. I’ve gotten worse injuries than a little burn on my tongue.” He remarked boldly before taking a sip of the searing liquid, and the moment it hit his moist muscle, he shot back immediately. Whining in pain.

Ranze’s eyes widened with disbelief before lightly slapping her hand to her face, grimacing at his decision. Kaneda looked at her goofily and chuckled softly, wincing at the stinging pain growing at the tip of his tongue. She rolled her eyes. Perhaps he did injure himself for an excuse to feel her frail, soft hands caressing his scalp. ‘Fat chance she’d listen to you, Shotaro... I can still try, though,’ he wondered. Nonetheless, it was indeed worth a try...

“Can you come here and check it out for me? Please?” He pleaded, his eyes glossed with the authentic desire for her to be closer to him. 

She sighed, before nodding graciously as she scampered to his side. She gestured him to open his mouth, which he happily obeyed. She stayed still and peered at his tongue, before Kaneda abruptly shut his mouth, throwing his arms around her and hugging her tightly. Ranze squeaked softly as his armed encircled her figure and his head resting itself on her shoulder. Suddenly, she returned the action of affection by placing her hand on the back of his head, soothingly caressing his black locks of hair.

“Hm, Ranz,” Kaneda murmured, causing her head to swivel to the side to look at him, “I thought you’d throw me off, knowing who you are...” As she anteriorly stated, he wouldn’t be getting anything out of her. Was she brazenly going against what she has said? This could only make Kaneda smile internally.

“I don’t particularly mind your embrace, Kaneda. I believe it soothes me in a way... I’ll be honest, I felt safe when you hugged me earlier...” 

Kaneda blinked, pulling back slightly to look at her fully, taking in her beautiful features. “Really? You’re not kidding—“

“Is there anything to joke about with this?” She completely wrapped her arms around him, “It’s compulsory of me to pay you back after saving me and Tetsuo. Consider it my top priority.” She stated firmly. 

To think they’d find themselves in such a place, clinging to each other in such a tender manner. These strange feelings created burning sensations in Kaneda’s stomach as he sighed softly, her fingers interlacing themselves in his hair. The large window they resided next to showed a beautiful view. Trees were silhouetted against the once bright, velvety sky. The lingering light had been obliterated by the rapidly falling night. And the once salmon and purple sky transformed itself into a vast expanse of jet-black that engulfed all of Neo-Tokyo. Although the world around them was exorbitantly beautiful, Kaneda couldn’t help but persistently steal glances at the girl who cradled him in his arms. His stomach churned with butterflies and he felt weak at the knees, despite the fact he was sitting down. He tried to ignore this feeling, and a feeling of warmth erupted throughout his entire body. Amidst all these loveable feelings, he knew he couldn’t have her. He didn’t deserve her, and he convinced himself of it religiously. 

He was so heavily attracted to Ranze, with the kind of heady trance that brings a butterfly to nectar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooh, more info on Hana and Colonel Shikishima! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and I have to say, I sincerely enjoyed writing this chapter. Especially adding the whole Colonel Shikishima lab results bit. I can’t wait for you all to see the plans I have for this chapter!
> 
> Lots of love,  
> The author :)


	19. ⌜ A Girl With a Heart Full of Empathy ⌟

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆...
> 
> With Tetsuo mercilessly continuing his onslaught on one of their wounded rivals, Ranze and Kaneda are left in turmoil as they try to collect their thoughts from such a horribly-exhilarating circumstance. Sensitive and fed-up, she beckons the younger boy to halt his brutal assaults on the boy—much to no avail, he protests and continues doing so. His rebelliousness is enough to bring Kaneda into the concoction, sending Tetsuo further into a state of anger. With the night coming to a close, Tetsuo makes a bitter, smug remark on Ranze’s “biased” nature and asks if she’ll retreat to Kaneda’s side. She debunks his words and moves away, infuriated with his terrible attitude.
> 
> On the other side of the city, Colonel Shikishima questions the legitimacy of Ranze’s relations to himself and Hana. With lab results gathered, he shakily goes off to the facility. Doctor Onishi enlightens him on the situation and verifying the fact that Ranze, is indeed the daughter of Hana. To add to it, Ranze is possibly a vessel for one of Hana’s psychic powers. With many theories bubbling up at the surface, everyone is left in their own state of confusion... Can any details be filled in at such a dire time?

It had been another night of anxiety and contemplation, but Ranze had relished in being at Tetsuo’s side once again. Albeit, the underlying pulse of his rotting attitude sent her into a spiralling cyclone of worry for him. Just what did they do to him while he was behind the walls of that hospital? Ranze couldn’t figure it out, and her comrades couldn’t either. Why was she so intrigued with the set of phenomena occurring right in front of her? She missed the revving the bikes, and the elegant sound of Kaneda’s voice, she would always want to hear from him.

Ranze had an emotionless expression on her face while the beauty of her dreams flooded her vision. She looked around at her hyper-realistic surroundings, and there, laid a peaceful meadow right before her eyes. Tall trees swayed to the crisp winds that sang a song, and Ranze could only inhale the fresh air as if she could really taste the surrealities of it all. The lanky blades of green grass danced to the cool breeze, joined along with the colourful wildflowers that scattered themselves throughout, carefully blessing the heavenly green fields with their beautiful pops of colour. 

The blistering sunlight glistened lowly against her bare porcelain skin, her shoulders already mutual with the hot, citrine sun. She rested herself against the comforting trunk of a tree, the smell of rich, damp soil reaching her nostrils, along with the sweet floral scent of the near wildflowers. They surprisingly relaxed her firmly grounded body, causing her eyelids to flutter with dreariness. Nature mirrored humanity... Everyone so profound and unique in their own ways. Ranze deeply understood no one deserved to be harmed, gravely at least, and only true evil would prevail those unspoken rules of hers... But who would be a vessel to such a gruesome concept?

A slender, pale woman watched her from afar, a genuine smile curling at her supple pink lips. She looked as if she truly admired watching the way Ranze’s pale, creamy skin glowed underneath the blazing wheel in the sky above them. Her peacefulness was richened a blessing, much like her own. 

“Are you alright? You look rather tired...” A voice questioned from next to Ranze, a voice so slick with tenderness, a tenderness that ached at the raven’s numbing heart. 

“I believe I’m just frustrated, that’s all,” Her eyebrows creased as she closed her eyes, “I’ve dealt with so much recently.”

She slowly turned to face the woman next to her, before gasping softly. The woman had revealed herself to her with a warm smile painted on her face. “We’ve all gone through terrible things, it’s best if we just let ourselves learn from them, Ranze...” Her voice trailed off as pressed her soft, round lips to Ranze’s forehead.

The woman didn’t specify herself whatsoever, and before Ranze could properly ask for details... An overwhelming feeling of warmth consumed her. It wasn’t an unbearable warmth, but rather... A comforting one, like as if she was being tightly embraced. An embrace that drew her into perils she had never known she’d ever face...

ꨄ

At the far end of a cafeteria that was tucked away from the prying eyes of the filthy ruffians, Ranze sat with Tetsuo and the two remained in silence as they had no desire to entertain each other with idle conversation. She held a half-empty plastic cup—filled with what presumed to be coffee— and before long, she downed it completely, the caffeine burning her throat. She paid no attention to something like this though. After all, it kept her numb from the pain that the previous events had brought to her. 

_ “Where’d Tetsuo get so brave all of a sudden?” _

_ “I thought Kaneda was gonna murder him...” _

_ “Really?” _

_ “Tetsuo... Did what?” _

The words of others encircled Ranze’s being like ravenous sharks... She hated such rumours and gossip being spread like wildfire about her and her friends. How could news travel so quickly?

“Could I get you another coffee, Ranze?” The question seemed to be directed to her, which elicited the girl to look up. It was Tetsuo had uttered such a phrase, his eyes held emotion that only be so clearly feigned...

“Don’t offer me a drink, please...” Tetsuo’s eyebrows furrowed at such a cryptic answer Ranze had snapped back at him with. It was only a little bit after that he came up with a different question to bombard her with. 

“If it were Kaneda, you’d say yes—“

“Tetsuo Shima, Ranze Hayasaka! Are they here!?” Blared the notorious Mr Takaba, his eyes scanning the crowded space before settling on two bitter teenagers, his eyes lighting up, “Oh! There you are!!”

A few minutes had passed of the brute of a teacher explaining their current situation. Apparently, the principal needed the two of them in his office, and this request made Ranze’s heart sink to the pit of her stomach. Had the authorities caught onto their nighttime rendezvous? Would they be seeking another punishment? Ranze had glanced around the corridors from time to time, her ears purposefully blocking out the conversation Tetsuo and Mr Takaba had shared. Whenever she even opened her mouth to utter her word, she couldn’t even formulate any sentences... Her mouth wasn’t cooperating, as she felt oddly lax as if she could fall asleep there without any problems.

“I see that you’re both finally here...” A frightening voice broke the silence that had been silently murdering her. The familiar voice initiated Ranze to quickly look up at the towering figure... It was the Colonel who was after Takashi, “You do look like Hana, now that I see it...” 

“Who?” Ranze quipped, her eyes narrowing at the man as she looked up at him with complete distaste, “I don’t know who that is.”

_Hana..._ The named rolled off her tongue beautifully, as it had been clearly familiar to her. In fact, Ranze went as far as searching the archives of her mind to acknowledge whether or not she’d heard the name before. But it was rendered futile, she had never even come across anyone by the name of Hana, despite the beauty of the name.

“She’s my niece, and you’re mother, Ranze.” Hidden pity appeared on the man’s face as the statement left his lips. It was so utterly simple, yet the true complexity of the phrase irked Ranze. Her mother, who she’d known was deceased, was related to this man, meaning he was her granduncle. The news nearly sent Ranze into an episode of shock, but yet... she remained calm. Not eerily tranquil, she simply felt relieved. Relieved knowing she had remnants of a family left... Even if she was related to such an authoritative figure.

“Am I supposed to follow you, then?” 

The Colonel must’ve seen the shock in her dark eyes as Ranze frowned at him, making him recover from his frozen, tense state. “Yes, precisely. The details will be filled in later, but for now, you two must come with us.” Defeat filled the man’s voice as he finally turned his body to face the two juveniles. 

“Are we undergoing interrogation?” She asked in disbelief, trailing next to the Colonel as she rotated her body to face him. 

“No, you two will be undergoing some tests. Fairly important tests...” He shot back, wiping his hand against his clothes as if he’d been disgusted with anything he touched at the facility, “It’s futile if I explain it now—“

“Hey! I was gonna go to the hospital like you people told me... Don’t you trust me?” Tetsuo wailed, his eyes widening in annoyance as he roughly shoved his hands into his pockets. 

The Colonel lets out a confused murmur before Ranze looks up to see the frozen body of Kaneda, his body paralyzed with fear as he eyed their group hurriedly. “YOU AGAIN!” They exclaimed in unison, the Colonel’s eyebrows crinkling with fury as he repeatedly pointing at the boy who had been sprinting down the hall as if his life had depended on it, “AFTER HIM! DON’T LET HIM GET AWAY!!”

The stern aura of her granduncle made her feel more grounded to her position next to him. She’d typically go bounding after Kaneda, yet... She remained grounded as if she needed to stay with the Colonel. The situation was tense and rushed—yet, her pulse remained steadied and her tank of adrenaline hadn’t burst. She was utterly stable, and she could only wish to stay that way. Ranze was intelligent, and she had known that if she were to follow Kaneda, it would result in the situation growing even more difficult for both parties. Even so, she wanted to learn more about her family, especially her mother. As well as possibly growing closer to Colonel Shikishima. And when she was satisfied with the information she gained, she would escape...

Ranze bounded behind the Colonel as he ran after the rampaging teenage boy as he neared closer to the window at the end of the hallway. She nearly gasped as the boy had catapulted himself into it, the glass shattering into millions of sharp projectiles as he fell from the building. Miraculously, he landed somewhat safely on the pavement below and continued to sprint down to where he hooked his bike up. Ranze threw herself at the opening, her body pressing against the jagged edges of the opening, her eyes meeting Kaneda’s as he looked back. 

“Harukiya...” She murmured, her eyes solemn with pain as she watched him clumsily climb on his bike. Kaneda could only nod, smiling reassuringly as he revved his red monster of a motorcycle, before shooting right out of the lot. Ranze could only watch as his figure disappeared from the road, the boy she was so devotedly in-love with had escaped for the greater good...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Sorry if this chapter is particularly short. And I know, some may not be happy with Ranze going with Kaneda, but I found that as a very cliché route to take. I find it’d more romantic for the two of them to realize how much they truly need each other to function—as they’re both so used to being around each other. As well as character developing for Ranze and Tetsuo, as they’re both potential vessels of psychic powers. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and I hope you all stay safe!


	20. ⌜ A Utopia We Could Build ⌟

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆...
> 
> Caught in a beautiful setting, Ranze reflects on humanity... Feeling an overwhelming surge of empathy for the people in the world, and she takes it upon herself to realize no one deserves to be hurt. A mindset ever so similar to her mother’s—who watches calmly from afar, her eyes admiring the similarities her and her daughter share. Hana inevitably finds herself moving closer to Ranze, comforting her the best she can as Ranze unloads her troubled realities on the understanding woman. Hana only returns her venting with a tender kiss on the forehead... An action that unlocked waves of indescribable power that changed the flow of Ranze’s being.
> 
> Later that day, Ranze groggily gets through the painful day of school—with the smug aura of Tetsuo at her side. As they’re sitting in a pitiful silence in the rowdy cafeteria, they’re called Mr Takaba, as the two of them are seemingly caught in trouble. Fear of the apprehension, the two of them reluctantly follow the teacher before being faced with the true figure of authority, Colonel Shikishima. He proceeds to explain life-changing news to Ranze, who is left in constant turmoil as she finds herself in a strong fork in the road...

[ ♡ ]

ＨＡＮＡ

39 𝚢𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚜 𝚊𝚐𝚘...

“Now, once upon a time—“

The dull tone of the caretaker made Hana yawn discreetly. It wasn’t the first time they shared this story with the psychic children, who all seemed equally as bored as herself. They were all restless children, each of them wishing to rid themselves of this “story time” and retreat to their toys. Hana’s head tilted towards the variety of doors that had been left ajar; there was enough to fit her and the other six children into them. Though there was one door at the very end of that hallway that was left unattended and effortlessly sparked the curiosity of the eight-year-old. 

Hana had been seated obediently at the far corner of the group, giving her the easy opportunity to escape without any notice. She quickly crawled away from the rug, moving behind a shelf to fully stand up before taking careful, silent steps towards the unknown room. She periodically looked over her shoulder nervously, checking whether or not the coast was clear so she wouldn’t be apprehended. As reached closer to the door, the gap between itself and the frame increased... Whatever that was hiding behind that door grew visible to the twinkling eyes of the bright girl, as she stood still against the wall. 

It was a boy. He was sitting in solidarity, his eyes solemn and unhappy. Hana nearly took it upon herself to converse the boy, but her actions were halted by the feeling of a warm hand gripping her shoulder.

“What do you think you’re doing, Hana?” 

Hana’s face lit up with a childish joy that could make anyone’s heart swell with awe. “Uncle Shiki! I just wanted to see the room here...” She explained, turning herself around to hug the burly man as he caressed her hair sweetly.

“Your search ends here, Hana.” The guard concluded for her as she nodded reluctantly... She didn’t want to complete her voyage just yet, as interest still burned in her heart.

Shikishima smiled warmly, the gel in his hair making it sleek and solid, as there wasn’t a strand of dark brown hair out place on his head. Hana remained terrified over the consequences of her departure, knowing her caretaker could take away her xylophone... or possibly even her television time! Her uncle laughed heartily as he ushered her away from the door, clasping her tiny hand in his. 

“There’s no need to go there anymore, Hana. There’s nothing for you to see.” He reassured, leading her down the dimly-lit corridors back the playroom the children resided in. 

“I’m not allowed to see the boy in there?” Hana questioned, nodding stiffly as she kicked at the pristine tile.

“Yes, Hana... Now go play...” 

Hana wasn’t convinced, yet she obeyed without a doubt. She didn’t want to risk any more of her playtime for such a silly discovery. She might’ve been eight-years-old, but she completely grasped the deep terrors of lying. In such an environment, many of the adults kept secrets. Some significant, some not as much. Even so, lying was prevalent in her surroundings... It was all she knew. As she reached the colourful mat where the other children remained, the caretaker had flipped to a fresh page... Making it seem like Hana had never left in the first place...

[ ♡ ]

ＲＡＮＺＥ

𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚝...

“It’s time for your examination, dear!” The nurse spoke up, showing herself as she left the door slightly ajar—taking Ranze’s privacy into great consideration, “Are you ready?”

“No... I haven’t been ‘examined’ before.” Ranze confessed, stepping out of the room as she scratched her forearm, her instincts unsure of whether or not to follow through with this shtick. 

“They’ll be looking at your brain waves,” The nurse explained kindly as she guided the raven down the long corridor, “These sorts of intense examinations are to verify whether you possess psychological powers of any kind. Do you understand?” She questioned the teenage girl but was completely ignored as the girl seemed to have been lost in her thoughts.

“It’s nothing to be worried over! It’s the aftermath that scares us all.”

“Aftermath? What do you mean?” Ranze suddenly asked, her eyes narrowed with concern for herself and Tetsuo’s well-being.

The nurse laughed softly, “It isn’t something you should get hung up over now, dear! Let’s just finish the examination and we’ll sort it out afterwards...” She shrugged, smiling nervously as she opened the door to the vast room that kept a highly technologically-advanced mechanism that Ranze couldn’t possibly describe. 

The room was eerily quiet, especially when Ranze had entered the space. Her hands were shaking unnaturally as she was laid down on the cot that was in the middle of the frightening machine. She tried to not meet the eyes of the staff as her eyes remained glued to the empty ceiling before she shut them to block out the harsh realities she had to face. 

“The examination will commence...” She heard a voice announce over the speakers. Ranze breathed slowly through her nose and sighed softly, her head adjusting itself onto the rather flat pillow in an attempt to remain comfortable in such a stiff position. She had mechanisms and devices attached to her, each of them having their purpose in the examination... Purposes that could help achieve the results many of the doctors needed. 

The whirring noises of the machine sealed Ranze’s fate as her brain would be tampered with... All to receive results in the name of science. She convinced herself internally this was all for obtaining information on her family, as well as the fact that Tetsuo would be experiencing the same procedures as herself. She didn’t have the heart to make matters worse for the two of them. Minutes went by as the machine tinkered with the wiring of Ranze’s brain, eliciting a pulsating headache to emerge unannounced. Ranze stifled a groan as she continued to allow such a horrible procedure to take place on her... ‘ _This to find out about your mother... You know that_ ’ Ranze internally chanted as if it were a mantra that would guide her through this mess. 

ꨄ

The sun had set and night had fallen over Neo-Tokyo. The sky was clear of clouds and the stars appeared to be shining bright, illuminating the city with a tender light that comforted the lonely. A gentle breeze brushed past many of the citizens as they all savoured the weather before the temperatures would drift into lower integers. Ranze yearned to feel that breeze tickle her skin, yet she had willingly imprisoned in the government complex... Away from all the tragedy that lurked within the corrupt city she was so familiar with. Ranze exhaled in dissatisfaction as she sat up from the examination table, her eyes sunken with tiredness as her head pounded with intense intervals of pain. 

Ranze didn’t bother saying anything to the staff as she was wrapped in a hospital robe, and given comfortable slippers to keep her feet warm. Phrases were exchanged between the doctors and nurses as Ranze swept by them, out into the hallway. It was only there that she was met with the tutting, smug attitude of Tetsuo. 

“Are you fucking serious, Ranze?”

Ranze widened her eyes at Tetsuo, her arms folded together against her chest. She simply turned around, a minuscule feeling of melancholy filling her heart. Tetsuo growled anomalistically before slithering his arm around her waist and pulling her closer to him—their eyes meeting in a fierce staring contest.

“You have powers, don’t you?” He asked again, making Ranze turned her head away from him, pursing her lips in disgust. She bit her lip, unsure of how to respond to his bold moves. 

“I overheard them talking about my results. I believe I do, but they’re probably weak like my mother’s...” She answered, her eyes narrowing as Tetsuo tightened his grip on her waist. Ranze’s hand found herself pressing itself against Tetsuo’s bruised arm, gripping it softly as she attempted to break free from his grasp. “Let me go, please.”

He grinned widely, his smile so genuinely terrifying that Ranze’s physique tensed under his touch. “Why? Ranze, don’t you understand what this means? You and I can capitalize off of our powers, we can take over and make our own utopia,” He laughed darkly, “You’re my muse, Ranze...” His eyebrows arched unnaturally as he examined the older girl’s stunned facial expression. 

“Tetsuo... That’s foolish...” Her mind was whirling. The unexpectedness of his words, along with the crippling news of the two of them being vessels for psychic powers that could possibly harm them or others. Just the malicious and intimidating phrases Tetsuo uttered confused her in the most inexplicable ways. “I’m not doing—“

Tetsuo lurched forward, connecting his lips to hers as his eyes gleamed with viciousness. His lips quirked up into a cat-like smile as he forcefully kissed her to show his tainted dominance. Ranze’s hands found themselves roughly gripping at his marred arms before she peeled him off of her. Tetsuo hissed in pain, rubbing the sides of his arms before Ranze gasped. Her eyes flickered to the bruises on his arms had been growing closer and closer to his complexion. 

“This is all you...” He grinned possibly even wider. “You can heal people, can’t you? Is that your power? My God, you’ll be of the best use to me!” He tapped the side of his arm, checking to see if this was truly a miracle Ranze performed.

“I won’t be helping you anytime soon,” She said defensively, moving away from him, “I’ll never subject myself to hurting others alongside you...” 

[ ♡ ]

ＫＡＮＥＤＡ

It was a bold move, and a stupid one at that, because he practically threw himself out that window and sped down the highway as if he was some deranged lunatic. The rest of his group were fractured and scattered across the city, two of them being taken into the clutches of the authorities. He hated the way they regarded his group with such scornful or pitying looks... Why did life have to be so unfair to the odd ones? He didn’t want to see any more of those kinds of looks. Kaneda kept his head low as he drove down an abandoned road in the Old City, the memories of riding with Ranze and Tetsuo haunting his being. He suddenly stopped near the vicinity of the Olympic stadium, his teeth gritted harshly before he ducked his head possibly even lower. 

All of a sudden, a feminine gasp filled his ears as the silhouette of the familiar older woman filled his vision. “I thought this might be your doing!” He grinned, undeterred despite the fact of him leaving behind Ranze had slowly been eating at his heart.

“YOU!!” Kei acknowledged, pausing in her tracks as she remained astonished at his unneeded presence.

“I’ll say this for you guys. Whoever you are, you put on a good show!” He mused, Kei’s face remaining straight and unamused. He was about to mutter another witty remark before squeaking out a pitiful grunt as his eyes trailed behind the older girl as the silhouettes of a variety of men grew more apparent.

“KEI!! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!? WE HAVE TO GO!!” One of the men blared before halting once he regarded Kaneda’s presence, “WHO’S THAT!? A GUARD—“

“Wait! He’s not one of them!” Kei sputtered, her body rotating itself to debunk the thoughts of Kaneda being a threat to them. 

“You know him?”

“Sort of...”

“THIS IS NO TIME FOR TALK!!”

“You’re right. Let’s go...” Kei furrowed her eyebrows, clenching her fists tightly.

“Not so fast! He can identify us...” A suspicious look crossed the man’s face as he readied a pistol, aiming at the juvenile boy.

“I told you to leave him alone!!” Kei snapped, frustrated with her comrades lack of trust towards her words.

“GET OUT OF HERE!!” One of the men barked at Kaneda, his voice gruff.

“No way! I’m not gettin’ left behind this time.” Kaneda said innocently, brushing some of his dark hair behind his ear as he smiled widely, eyes turning into teasing crescents. 

The men shook their heads and turned away, muttering unintelligible phrases to each other Kaneda couldn’t possibly pick up. As they spoke, the teenage boy paid attention to the aching pulses of his heart. His brain thundered with the memory of Ranze uttering ‘Harukiya’ under her breath hopelessly. He was always gripped with euphoria whenever Ranze and himself got along, they were an intimidating duo—especially during that horribly long night with Ryu and Kei. His throat felt dry when he tried to swallow, but his expression was flat, devoid of emotion. Why did he yearn for her presence?

“We’ll have to take him with us, but the bike stays here!!” The man ordered, pointing the gun at Kaneda’s bike sternly sending the boy into a series of yelps.

“Y-You can’t ask me to abandon my bike!!”


	21. ⌜ Changes We Can’t Control ⌟

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆...
> 
> Tetsuo and Ranze are taken into the custody of the government, their frail mental states protected from the harsh outside world as they undergo testing for being possible vessels of psychic powers. Ranze is left with no possible choice but to follow through the regimes the authorities have laid out for her and Tetsuo, so she reluctantly partakes in the intense examinations. With the needed results achieved, Ranze is frightened over the possibility of Tetsuo’s deteriorating mental state possibly growing worse, as he starts displaying dark, brutal dominance towards her—and even going as far to strip her of her first kiss.
> 
> With Kaneda finding himself loitering around near an anti-government group Kei is a part of, and soon being taken into questioning by them. With Kaneda and Ranze at such a far distance, can they prevail in such tough times?

[ ♡ ]

ＫＡＮＥＤＡ

“Unreal! This place looks the way hideouts do in the movies!” Kaneda gawked as he seated himself at the table, his eyes widening with awe before clearing his throat audibly. Kaneda’s eyes fell to the guard’s with a mischievous glint, albeit his little tricks weren’t making the stoic man budge an inch. “Tough audience... Ranze could probably give me a grunt but you’re all stone...” 

Kaneda felt his heart lurch unnervingly once the girl’s name left his lips. Moments without her filled him with a feeling of loneliness... No one appeared to be listening to him at all that day. The way he recoiled when the nurse snapped at him, the way Tetsuo rebelled against him like that... Ranze was one—if not the only—of the only people who took his vulnerability into regard and didn’t prod at him for it. The sudden cacophony of voices of pitiful arguments filled Kaneda’s sensitive ears, Ryu had been arguing with Kei... 

The door swung open, making Kaneda chuckle in a goofy manner as he fingered his shirt’s collar. “Greetings! Fancy meeting you here, heh! Welcome to my humble commode!” He greeted as he contorted his face into a childish face. Ryu simply sighed dully, before situating himself at the table as Kei scrambled around the room so she wouldn’t be standing so awkwardly. 

“I’m glad you’re here... I wanted to thank you and that girl...” Ryu glanced over at the empty seat next to Kaneda, his eyebrows furrowing in a perplexed manner. “Where is she?”

“Thank...?” Kaneda retorted, “Erm... Well, she’s somewhere, I guess. But what is there 

to thank?”

“Truth be told, I’d much rather have her here than you..” Kei muttered under breath as she tightened her arms against her chest. 

There was an uncomfortable silence that coated the air for mere moments before it dissipated quickly once Ryu leaned over the table, his eyes dead-set on the juvenile boy. “So... That pill... Have you still got it?” He asked albeit he looked particularly unbothered with Kaneda’s uncomfortableness. 

“The pill? That pill?” Kaneda paused, scratching his chin quizzically as he recalled the instance where he had the pill in his possession. “Ah... nope! I lost in the canal.” He grinned foolishly, imitating Tetsuo’s ‘innocent’ tone he always spoke with.

Ryu frowned, looking as if he had been offended with Kaneda’s statement. “Oh, you did, huh? Well, you listen to me,” He began, his voice deep with intimidation, “We’re part of an underground resistance organization, and—“

“DON’T RYUSAKU! WE CAN’T TRUST—!”

“QUIET!!”

Kaneda’s lips lifted into a smile, but he quickly smothered it, clearing his throat abruptly. “Look, I’m sorry! I put it into my pocket, then I lost it in the canal. SPLASH! Remember?” 

Shaking his head, Ryu looked away from Kaneda, his eyes narrowed with distaste. The glare of the light above them was hitting their skin harshly, possibly thickening the tension between the two of them. “I don’t believe you...” 

“The way that weird guy, Takashi, kept going on about it...” Kaneda said softly, cradling his jaw in his palm. His lips were pursed as he recalled the events of that night. “... I had to steal it from him, you know? But... What was it?”

“Ryu, you’re wasting valuable time!” Kei interjected, her tone exasperated as if she’d been fed-up with waiting like a sitting duck.

“Kei’s right! It’s not like you!” Piped up another comrade of theirs.

“You really don’t know, do you?” Ryu clenched his fists, refusing to look at Kei and the other man—his voice low and fragile. 

“I keep worrying about my bike... Couldn’t someone go get it?” Kaneda answered, his eyes furrowed with worry as it appeared that he didn’t comprehend what sort of situation he was in. 

“We need the truth from his now!” Kei hissed, her tone urgent as she slapped her hands onto the rough surface of the table.

“Don’t worry... We’ve got time...” Ryu murmured.

Kaneda paused. It wasn’t outright, it was subtle—the way his shoulders tightened ever so slightly and his hands dug further into the material of the table. The silence was hesitating, unsure... like he wasn’t completely aware of the reason he had been taken into the Resistance’s custody...

[ ♡ ]

ＲＡＮＺＥ

The floor was wet, and Ranze’s steps were slow and careful—as if she’d been hesitant with the path she’d been taking down the winding corridors. Tetsuo had disappeared into the examination rooms and had left Ranze alone with her thoughts. She’d been coming down from the rush of adrenaline that had rapidly coursed through her veins once Tetsuo had robbed her of her first kiss. Her shoulders were weighed down with the heavy burden of the well-beings of all her friends—she had to look out for them all, and it would be pitiful of her not to continue doing so. 

Her gaze stayed down on the tile floor as she walked—the strange, irrational fear that someone was going to come from behind her and harm her gnawed at the back of Ranze’s mind. She didn’t know why she was acting so anxious—it was if she didn’t feel safe in such a new environment. She didn’t quite feel relieved when she was with Tetsuo, it was if he would pounce on her at any moment. She only felt safe when she had Kaneda, Kaori, or Yamagata at her side. But with her absence, she remained chained by her fears...

She exhaled softly though her nose, the sound barely audible in the idle chatter of staff that enveloped her. Not one arm brushed against hers, it was if they feared to have contact with her just as much as she did them. Ranze turned the corner and trudged down the halls before stopping at a room. It had a large sign on the wall next to it reading ‘Baby Room’. Ranze hesitantly opened the door, her eyes hooded before pausing awkwardly in the doorway. The heat of the lights above beat down on her exposed skin, as she noticed Takashi and Masaru had awkwardly resided next to a bed...

“It’s her... Kiyoko-chan, she’s here!” Masaru announced quietly as he peered over the bed, bending his head as if he had been talking to someone. “Come over here, please...” He turned his head to look at Ranze, his eyes solemn.

Ranze nodded hesitantly, her gaze softened as she gazed at the children sympathetically. She shuffled to the far end of the room before kneeling at the side of the bed—it was there that she saw the emaciated-looking little girl. Her eyes had been rolled back to look at the ceiling, and her frail, pale green hands were desperately clutching a rag doll. Her beautiful white hair had been fastened into twin braids, with the embellishments of glistening red ribbons that roughly contrasted her rough complexion. 

She raised her eyes to Ranze’s, her forehead easing itself from its crinkled state into a more relieved expression. “You really do look like Hana-san...” She muttered, her hand shaking as she lifted her hand as if she wanted to touch Ranze’s face. “My dreams weren’t lying when they displayed you to me...” 

“Your dream?” Ranze asked softly before bending her neck closer to the girl’s hand as if she granted her permission to touch her bruised cheek. The girl clasped the teenager’s cheek, rubbing it comfortingly as if she wanted to alleviate the tension the two shared. 

“Yes,” She hummed, letting Ranze rest her cheek in the palm of her frail hand. Her eyes scanned the rough wrinkles that mapped the face of the little girl, and the melancholy that was hidden behind her sunken eyes. “I dreamed of you visiting us, and Akira too...”

Ranze observed her expression carefully, before smiling softly. “My mother... What was she like?” 

“So wonderful...” Her lips lifted into a half-smile. “She played with us all day and included each and every one of us. Such a reassuring soul...” 

It was these words that broke Ranze’s heart into two. Ranze knew so little of her mother, but from what she had heard from these children... She had believed so many wonderful things about Hana. She was the daughter of such a beautiful person? Where was the logic in the that when she felt so rotten?

Shutting her eyes, she leaned against the rim of the bed as the child began to caress Ranze’s soft locks of hair. “My name is Kiyoko... And here, you can seek comfort from me, Ranze. I will tell you everything to the best of my abilities...” 

Ranze’s expression relaxed into a smile, a tender, reassured one. She didn’t have many answers yet, but she was pleased with what she was given. Weirdly enough, Ranze felt safer in the presence of such a wise, motherly figure like Kiyoko. She could seek answers in Kiyoko, and she would advise her to do what was right. Exactly like a mother could...

“Masaru, Kiyoko? Ah... Ranze... I figured you’d be here...”


	22. ⌜ Attention ⌟

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆...
> 
> Kaneda is taken into interrogation by Ryusaku, and the other suspicious members of the Resistance—albeit he mistakes nearly all of it as a joke, as he takes a very meagre fraction of it all seriously. With his mind wandering to his bike left in the lot or the fact that Ranze and Tetsuo were in military custody—he answers Ryusaku’s questions halfheartedly, not providing the man with any sort of input on the whereabouts the stolen pill. 
> 
> Ranze curiously wanders the grounds of the hospital, her distance from the staff growing worrying as she’s unsure of her new surroundings. Before long, she wanders into a mysteriously spacious room known as the “Baby Room”. Within mere seconds of being in such a vast, adorably-decorated room, she’s beckoned to approach Masaru and the bed he resides next to. She hesitantly makes her way closer, only to see a frail, emaciated girl who was woken up from her mystifying dream. Ranze soon converses with her, and finds out her name is Kiyoko—a child who knew Hana in their younger years.
> 
> With the acquaintances and affiliations made, Ranze and Kaneda are getting swept up in their plans... Can they ever meet again?

“I had a dream...” Kiyoko smiled, weakly turning her head to look at the Colonel—yet her movement of caressing Ranze’s locks of hair didn’t halt.

“Tell me...” The Colonel drawled out as he pulled up a seat next to the bed, his eyes monitoring the weakened state of Kiyoko. 

“I dreamed of Akira...” 

“Akira!?” The Colonel emphasized with a furrowed brow as he leaned over the bed to catch every weak gasp the psychic child uttered. 

Kiyoko kept her eyes on Ranze as the Colonel stood in bewilderment. “He’ll awaken soon.”

“ ** _WHAT!? IS THIS THE TRUTH!?_** ” He cried out in frustration, placing his hands on Kiyoko’s tiny shoulders as he peered into her eyes hopefully. “ _ **WHEN? WHEN!?**_ ”

“ _Soon..._ ” Kiyoko breathed, before looking over at the drifting sight of Ranze. “Soon...”

Ranze pursed her lips and got up, running her fingertips over the sheets that covered the unconscious child, before calmly pulling them up. She walked over to the far end of the room, before pausing to watch the motionless silhouettes of Masaru and the Colonel. 

“You’re worried about this ‘Akira’...” Ranze raised an eyebrow, folding her arms across her chest. “What significance does he have to all of this?”

“I won’t fill you in on those matters.” He said simply, sliding his hands behind his back as he got up, brushing past Ranze roughly. “You will remain out of these matters until they’re properly dealt with!”

The clever way he avoided her question irritated Ranze. Her arms nearly constricted her body as she clutched her sides, nearly displaying how frustrated she truly was with such a situation. Her eyes stayed on the ground as she tried to rid her mind of the violent, wasteful thoughts that invaded the crevices of her brain. The thoughts of being taken advantage of by the authorities, the thoughts of never reaching safety... The thought of losing her best friend to his sick, obscene desires he couldn’t control. Ranze was so absorbed in these thoughts that she didn’t notice Takashi standing still in her peripheral vision.

“It’s not your fault.” His voice broke her out of her reverie, making Ranze realize that she had been visibly irked and it was possibly scaring the children. She looked up at him with a small frown, before smiling softly at the way he tinkered with the toy aeroplane.

“ _I believe I’m just scared of what’s to come..._ ”

[ ♡ ]

ＣＯＬＯＮＥＬ

“ _ **THIS IS AN EMERGENCY! CODE RED!**_ ” The Colonel blared as he stomped down the hall, one of his subordinates barely keeping up with his rushed trekking. 

“Who—?”

“ _ **ALERT ALL PERSONNEL!**_ ”

His chest heaved, up and down, rhythmic yet irregular in intensity, like the rise and fall of an unstable tide. Somewhere, somehow, he knew he should’ve dealt with the situation better than he did. He was frightened, infuriated, and concerned—concerned for his own life and the life of the Espers, with the inclusion of Ranze. The blood in his veins moved rapidly, his eyelids narrowing, his head lolling back as if he had been particularly fed-up with the terrible circumstances. ‘ _Blast the luck! It’s too soon... I expected to have more time!_ ’ He thought as trudged down the winding corridors of the hospital, his intentions unclear as he was too urgent for anyone to catch a proper glimpse of him...

[ ♡ ]

ＫＡＮＥＤＡ

“I thought he was gonna work me over.”

Kaneda’s eyes flashed to the older girl as she rotated her body to look at him angrily before she turned back around—scanning their nearby vicinity as she directed him down the narrow passage. He nearly flinched as she stopped at one of the doors, turning to him abruptly as she opened the door. 

“In here.” She spoke, a hint of exasperation in her otherwise leisurely tone. 

Kaneda steadied himself, leaning closer to her jokingly. His heartbeat hadn’t spiked notably in the past instances—it was only when he was speeding down the deserted highway to the Old City was where he thought his heart was pounding so hard it would obliterate his rib cage. There was no real method to escape this madness, and he was sure of it. He might as well obey the attractive woman that accompanied him currently. 

“Is this your room?”

“ _Yes..._ ”

Kaneda scoffed as he looked around the room. The room was drab, not anything like any girl’s room he had ever seen. There was a small, neatly-mad bed and a couple of bookshelves... But other than those articles of furniture, the room was barren. 

“Not very glamorous for someone that leads such an exciting life...” Kaneda observed, a charming, yet faked smile painted across his face. What did he have to smile for? He knew this girl didn’t want the luxury of seeing his genuine smile, so why bother showing her it?

If anything comes up, you can call out on this intercom,” Kei said finally, gesturing to the mechanism that was on the wall behind her. Kaneda bit his tongue, dropping his hands to his sides as he turned around to look at her. 

“Huh? You mean you’re not staying?” He asked, craning his head to the side quizzically.

“I could never look my dear mother in the eye again if I did.” She hissed, narrowing her eyes at the juvenile boy with such a genuine distaste for him. 

The cruelty of her words ricocheted off of him; he had worse things said to him, but there was something unexpected in the way those words escaped Kei’s mouth. Kaneda felt himself growing weak to lack of exposure to fresh air, and the narrow spaces were eating at his being.

“W-Wait a second!” Kaneda shrieked as he threw himself at the door once Kei had retreated behind it, preventing him from being able to exit her room as she had clutched the doorknob in her knuckles firmly. Kaneda groaned and began to impatiently pound at the door, his desperation shining through his pitiful attempts to break free from the space.

“LEMME OUTTA HERE!!” He wailed, before stepping back from the door. A choked gasp soon filled his ears from the other side of the door, and before long, Kaneda pressed himself against the door, listening in on the distressed noises she was making. “HEY! ARE YOU OKAY OUT THERE!?”

He stepped back a tad, rolling his shoulder a bit before pummelling himself into the door—which had been enough to successfully knock himself out of the room and into the hallway. Kaneda noticed Kei’s lips were parted, chest heaving with heavy breaths. Sweat plastered her hair to her forehead and crept along the line of her jaw, and at that moment Kaneda didn’t witness the horrors she had witnessed before he rotated his body slowly...

It a was ghostly, burning human being that beard a resemblance to himself and the high-pitched whine that left its ears was enough to shatter anyone’s eardrums.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! I don’t have much to say but I’d like to say thank you for nearly 200 hits! I truly, truly appreciate it!!


	23. ⌜ The Dreamy Rendezvous ⌟

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆...
> 
> The Colonel begins interrogating Kiyoko about her mysterious dreams—each of them linking with her psychic powers in which they tell the near future. Everything appears mellow before she mentions the name ‘Akira’. A name that terrorizes the Colonel to where he’s on the brink of a breakdown, desperately seeking more answers Kiyoko before she dozes off. Ranze’s interest is piqued, and she asks a question of her own before she is dismissed by the nervous Colonel.
> 
> In the Old City, Kaneda is left with Kei as they try to get along—much to no avail, she attempts to lock him in her bedroom. As she defends herself against his incessant wails, she gets caught off-guard—which signals Kaneda to break himself out of the room. It is there that he sees the frightening sight of a burning humanoid creature, staring them both down...

[ ♡ ]

ＫＡＮＥＤＡ

“I-It’s me... But b-burning! What!?” Kaneda choked out, grasping onto the wall behind him nervously—which they were inconveniently backed up again— and stared down the glowing orbs of his “clone”.

“ ** _...A...ki...ra..._** ” It groaned, tapping its foot on the ground impatiently before abruptly vanishing with a satisfying bolt of electricity screeching. Kaneda and Kei let out an assortment of shrieks and groans as their minds had not come to terms with the fact that they’d had witnessed something extraordinary.

“IT VANISHED!” Kei cocked an eyebrow, leaning against the wall and crossing her arms. 

“ _ **WHAT’S GOING ON!?**_ ”

[ ♡ ]

ＴＥＴＳＵＯ

It was torturous. The pummelling feeling of his skull as he tossed and turned in the hospital bed, tiny beads of sweat building up obnoxiously on his forehead. His powers were awakening, weren’t they? Were they culprit to his endless suffering? All he craved was the feeling of one those pills hitting his dry tongue, perhaps it could numb the pain that was humming mantras in his head. He lurched forward nauseously, nearly feeling something climb up his throat sneakily—but it was just his body taunting him. Every bundle of nerves, every system, every cell... They were all against him as the pressure peaked of the glass pot next to his bed bursted, the water drizzling itself onto Tetsuo as he huffed and moaned.

“ _What’s wrong?_ ” A feminine voice interrupted him, before a beautiful face poked out from the other side of his pillow. The more Tetsuo looked at her, he noticed the similarities she shared with Ranze. Her hair was effortlessly shiny and was a pristine jet black that reached her shoulder blades. Her eyes were pointed, yet kind—and her irises were stained a very familiar dark chocolate. The only difference she had with Ranze was the bushiness of her eyebrows—as they were thick and dark, while Ranze’s were much thinner and pointed. She casually placed a hand on his head, stroking his hair soothingly as she smiled at him. 

“Are you scared, Tetsuo?” She added. 

“I-I... Who the fuck...” Tetsuo paused, his eyes travelled down the woman’s face and to her shoulders, down along her left arm, round the elbow, before landing at her hand. The glowering bruises that marred her skin caused the air to be knocked out of Tetsuo’s lungs in the span of a second. The sound of the fan running tuned out, and Tetsuo could no longer pay attention to anything. He froze in his spot, and the mysterious mirage of a woman only looked at him blankly.

“Is it too much for you?” She pulled her arm back, worried if she was the reason the young boy had spaced out. She enveloped his hand in her bruised one, holding it securely. The warmth seemed to only make Tetsuo more cognizant of what had been happening, “Is this too much for you?” She repeated. 

“I-I don’t fucking know you... Get away, you creep...” He nudged her away, shooting her a look of distaste before pushing himself up. “Get out...”

Before Tetsuo could even blink, the woman let out a string of giggles, lolling her head back as they grew louder. “You push everyone away when you truly need it... So foolish...” She said, pointing to the shattered flower pot with a mocking glance, her cheeks pulled up so high that her eyes squinted into the shapes of crescent moons. “Such a silly boy!”

Letting out a groan of frustration, Tetsuo got up to scuffle with her before he noticed the way she shuffled backwards—her body getting closer and closer to the open window at the far end of the room. Tetsuo could only gnaw on the palm of hand as he grimaced at the sound of her laughter, before she seated herself on the window sill. The way she smiled when she waved at him—as if she were taunting him. It wasn’t long before she abruptly leaned back, slipping out the window as Tetsuo hurriedly moved to the opening. 

He whipped his head out the window, there was no disappearing silhouette of the woman free-falling. It was if she vanished out of thin air...

[ ♡ ]

ＣＯＬＯＮＥＬ

“We’ve financed this ‘Akira’ of yours, and so far none of us even know what it is!” One of the officials scoffed, pulling his papers together and shuffling them. 

“Could you be more specific than ‘soon’?” Asked one of the men, before awkwardly pausing. “Not that we believe a word of it!”

“THERE HAS BEEN NO PROGRESS IN THIRTY YEARS!!” One of the men roared.

“And just where are we expected to get the money for all of this?” Inquired another one, clicking his pen obnoxiously. 

“The costs have been exorbitant to say the least...”

“All we have to show for our expenditures is that grotesque nursery,” A man explained, “And there are the upcoming Olympics to consider. We must put the war behind us. We have no money to spend on ghosts!”

“THAT’S WHAT I’VE SAID ALL ALONG! THE MONEY SHOULD GO TO SOCIAL PROGRAMS—“

“OH, SHUT UP!!”

The Colonel abruptly slammed his fist onto the wooden surface, before shooting up to illustrate his authority to the quarrelling officials and politicians. “THIS BICKERING IS POINTLESS! I DIDN’T SUMMON YOU TO LISTEN TO YOU ARGUE!” He roared, sternness echoing throughout the boardroom as the men had been silence to a plethora of grumbles and moans. 

“Some of you arrived after the briefing and missed **_vital_** information,” The Colonel cut his eyes to the men who had been left in a scatterbrained mess, before he cleared his throat. “Had you seen the film, you might take this _grave_ situation more seriously...”

“Let me repeat... **AKIRA WILL RISE!!** ” He exclaimed, furrowing his eyebrows roughly as he moved from his spot. “Cut our budget by even a fraction and tens of thousands of people with die.”

A cacophony of gasps and murmurs could be heard as many of the men shuffled their papers, desperately trying to look for the analytics. “And we will again find ourselves rebuilding from the ruins... If any of _us_ survive...” He said snidely, clucking his tongue disapprovingly as he slid past his awestruck colleagues...

[ ♡ ]

ＫＥＩ

“ **AKIRA**!?” Ryu asked incredulously, his eyes shooting up to Kei’s as his features tensed. A scowl painted itself on his face as he spoke, and the way he spoke sounded forceful. 

“That’s what he said.” Kei shrugged, her cold tone paling in comparison to Ryu’s hotheaded, brash one. 

“Not your run-of-the-mill visitor, was he?” Ryu gazed keenly at her, she simply bit her lip as she proceeded to think back on previous events as if they were a distant memory. 

“It was weird... _bizarre_...” She breathed out, sitting at the edge of the bed before closing her eyes tightly, a feeling of familiarity bubbling up in her chest as she contemplated deeply. 

“You’re certain it wasn’t a hologram?” 

“No... It was a presence. I felt him... I also felt something similar when I was around that girl. You know, the one Kaneda was with...” She muttered, making Ryu give her a weird look as if she had been sputtering absolute nonsensical things.

“Could it have been the kid’s doing?” 

“I don’t think so... He was scared too. It seemed more similar to Takashi’s energy, and yet... different...” She said softly.

“ _Different_?” Ryu retorted.

[ ♡ ]

ＲＡＮＺＥ

Ranze had allowed her eyes to fall shut when the warmth of the blankets gripped her body. Her killer senses remained poised, yet she was at peace once she achieved slumber. She couldn’t stop the shiver ran down her spine as everything remained clouded, and unfamiliar. She was in a dark, gloomy setting—a setting she couldn’t help but despise. Why weren’t things much more bright in her life? But a shrill yelp shook her out of the guilt-ridden reverie she was caught-up in. It was there her gaze flickered to the silhouette of a boy, his proportions familiar in her eyes. 

Choking back a sob, she stumbled closer to the boy. Her knees buckled beneath her but she pushed towards him. “Kaneda,” She gasped, reaching for his shoulder. Was this just a mirage? Was her head playing games on her? Hysteria swept through her, a tidal wave strong enough to drown her in such horrifying emotions. “ _Kaneda—_ “

He turned to her. And there, her eyes were met with the familiar sight of him—every bit of his face she yearned for; jet black hair falling into his eyes, the refined colours of his eyes, the slope of his nose, and the hard line of his lips that poured out endless amount of wonderful phrases to her whenever he spoke to her.

His warm brown eyes flickered towards her, and they widened like saucers. “Holy shit...” Kaneda swore, before kneeling down in front of her eyes were drooped with desperation. “How the fuck are you—“

Without waiting to hear the rest of his sentence, she threw herself into his arms. She felt him tense, his arms frozen by his sides; but she clutched his jumper within her slender fingers and hid her face in his chest. 

“You thought I was long-gone, didn’t you?” He asked at last, his voice quiet.

She continued to hold him tightly, not budging whatsoever—she wanted to soak this dream up, knowing it couldn’t possibly be real. Oh, but how authentic it felt. 

“We’ll find you and Tets,” He said, settling his arms around her. “We’ll find you, and we’ll drive this shitty government business out the window...” 

Her throat tightened. “ _Will it be that easy?_ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t have much to say but I’d like to say a huge thank-you for 200 hits! I truly appreciate it, and thank you all so much for enjoying this story!!


	24. ⌜ Toxicity Pouring Into Open Wounds ⌟

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆...
> 
> Kaneda and Kei are left in absolute bewilderment with their ghostly interaction with the burning mirage, while the Colonel is debunked by all the government officials during one of the board meetings. With the bickers over budgets, scientific legitimacy, and the preparations of the Olympic Games, the meeting is left in complete chaos. Infuriated with such unprofessional antics, the Colonel takes a stand on his take of the situation concerning Akira—exiting the room with attitude knowing he left his mark on his colleagues. 
> 
> With Kei questioning the authenticity of the energy radiating off of the mirage—as well as Ranze— she is unsure of everything future lies. All of these contemplations occur when Ranze and Kaneda are left in a mystifying, lucid environment in their dreams. Unsure of this is the doing her powers, Ranze is frightened over the future ahead... Will they prevail?

[ ♡ ]

ＲＹＵ

He’d perfected this expression long ago— a blank look, features that displayed no emotion, with exception of the pinch of his lips that conveyed annoyance. His eyes, however, were a void—pouring pouring buckets of mystery on those who dared to look into their darkness. As he walked down the stairs of the complex, he studied his surroundings cautiously, as well as the people who walked alongside him. Some were stern, some terrified, or even thrilled. Most of the people who fell into these categories barely looked a day over eighteen, their bodies aching for that youthful adrenaline that drove them into the worst of circumstances. 

“ _A suspicious character?_ ” Ryu pinned his cold gaze on his colleague. “Think he’s a secret service bloodhound?” 

“He’s not listed in our files, but maybe he just joined them...” His colleague explained, “He’s been hanging around for the last week!”

The two paused their idle chatter when they heard the banging sound from the end of the storage room. They stood in astonishment, peering cautiously over the wall to connect the dots to where the banging—which was starting to grow harsher, and pounded at uneven, sporadic intervals—had originated. Ryu felt his chest tense in suspense before the wind had nearly been knocked out of his lungs when the glass shattered into millions of tiny projectiles, and the men catapulting themselves into the space, armed with a variety of firearms. 

“ ** _IT’S THE ARMY!!_** ”

“PUT UP YOUR HANDS! RESISTANCE IS POINTLESS!” One of soldiers directed, cocking his gun at Ryu’s accomplice—their eyes set on him like ravenous wolves. 

Ryu threw himself onto the stairs, selfishly hiding himself from the chaos as he poised his gun expertly, leaning against the wall. Listening to the slow, deliberate steps of the soldiers—their facades that effortlessly instilled in the frozen man who stood before them. He looked at his coworker, knowing he’d remember the terror that painted his face for entirety of his life, while the latter’s would end momentarily. With the roars of the soldiers, the bullets fired themselves aggressively at the man, instantly snatching life away like there was no value to it...

[ ♡ ]

ＫＡＮＥＤＡ

The familiarity of the beautiful feminine voice faded out as the door harshly opened. Kaneda looked up at the older girl as she threw herself into the room, her chest heaving with ragged pants as she attempted to remain balanced and calloused. 

“ ** _THE ARMY’S FOUND US! LET’S GO!_** ” Kei shrieked, which made Kaneda jerk in alert at the tone of her voice. 

They scrambled out of the room, sprinting down the hallway hurriedly as if their lives had so clearly depended on it. Truthfully they did, they practically had bounties on their heads with how foolish they were with their rebellious actions towards the government. Kaneda’s mind was reeling, he would be continuing his search for Ranze and Tetsuo—but with the addition of Kei and the Resistance. He found it all so difficult, and it burned his heart—making it harder to go on strong like this. Ranze. Her name triggered something unusual in his head, and he felt his breath hitch in his throat once Ryu reunited with Kei and himself. 

His eyes shot open to look at Ryu, albeit they were met with coldness that made tremors go down his spine. “WE CAN’T GO DOWNSTAIRS! WHERE ELSE IS THERE?” 

“UNDERGROUND!” Ryu quipped, before taking Kei’s hand and securely placing a gun in her trembling hands. “Don’t let them get you. Here! Take the gun! I trust you with it, Kei!”

Kaneda’s eyes latched onto the gun for a moment or two, before Kei hesitantly held it at her side. “But... What about _you?_ ” She whispered.

“I’ll manage. As soon as you’ve lost them, make contact with us... You know how.” He murmured, before walking away from them, his eyes locked on the tensed physique of Kei. “Take care of yourselves!” 

Kei’s eyes widened as he ran off, not daring to say anything else to the teenagers. “ **RYU! RYUSAKU!!** ” She called out desperately. 

ꨄ

“HURRY! HURRY!” Kei snapped, monitoring the hallways through the space between the door and the doorframe. 

“HEY! IT’S DARK DOWN THERE! HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO SEE?!” Kaneda yelled back, cautiously slipping himself into the passage—climbing down the ladder as Kei followed him soon after, closing the hatch and tampering with some unknown mechanism. 

Kei let out a frustrated noise as the two of them bolted down the passages of the filthy sewer. “MOVE!!”

“These days I’m always on the run—“

Unexpectedly, a deafening roar of an explosion could be heard from behind them—albeit this had been Kei’s doing as she quickly placed her hands over her ears. Kaneda’s ears rang with pain, as they’d been previously sensitive to all the gunshots and yelling from the previous hours. 

Kei smiled in celebration as she turned to Kaneda, who’s hair was left ragged and his eyes widened like unflattering saucers. “You... You could’ve told me...” 

[ ♡ ]

ＲＡＮＺＥ

Ranze had seen many horrifying things in her life, but nothing came close to what she experienced then. One of the staff was mangled, blood splattering the once pristine walls and his entrails scattered across the halls. Fear paralyzed her at a rate that was so rapid that she couldn’t acknowledge the fact that the staff that accompanied her had been gruesomely murdered, their bodies joining the sickening collection of gore that dirtied the halls. 

“ _You’re coming with me, Ranze..._ ”

Ranze looked up from her feet, wiping the blood that smudged her cheeks unevenly with her left hand. A small smile illuminated the features of Tetsuo as he shrugged his shoulders, completely ignoring the gruesome crime he committed. “Follow me, we’re leaving this shithole—“

“You’re _smiling?_ After what you’ve done?” She shook her head, quickly turning herself away before Tetsuo harshly gripped her wrist and pulling her to his side as he trudged down the hallway with her. 

“I didn’t stutter.”

Ranze tightened her mouth into a thin line, her eyebrows furrowing before she whipped her head back to look at the scene for the last time before she would be swept off her feet unwillingly...

ꨄ

The air was thick with terror—albeit terror appeared to be an understatement in such a circumstance. She had witnessed a multitude of people being shot—but the horrid fates those innocent staff were left with was sickening. Tetsuo transported her to the roof of the facility, his hand gripping hers roughly with no affection or comfort laced into it whatsoever. The lights of the city were enough to send Ranze into a flurry of spiralling nausea, as the nightlife she has so felt exhilarated with had been adding to her growing paranoia.

“We’re gonna jump, Ranze...” Tetsuo chimed as he took her in his arms although she squirmed defiantly against him—grunting with rage as she tried to free herself from him.

“I don’t have a desire to leave, Tetsuo... I don’t _need_ this!” Ranze hissed, before he shook his head in disappointment—her wishes evident to him, yet he didn’t choose to take them into any consideration. 

“That’s not an option...” Tetsuo said swiftly before stepping off the platform, the winding hitting their exposed skin, nipping at it bitterly. It was there that Ranze felt the world she so passionately despised twist and turn before her eyes... 

[ ♡ ]

ＫＥＩ

“ **—WHAT!?** ”

Kei’s breath hitched as she felt every emotion related to annoyance and frustration run through her body, as soon her brain had registered the stupidity that had been spewing from Kaneda’s mouth. “ _Because I don’t like it here!_ ” She gritted out. This had been a terrible mistake. The government orchestrated this so loosely, and their escape was poorly executed—at least in her own words. However, the hurry that filled the air was all that kept Kei’s adrenaline running. 

“Keep your voice down, by the way!” She added, throwing her hand to slap Kaneda before the booming masculine voice filled her ears. 

“Sorry to keep you folks waiting.” The bartender said with a smile, catching them mid-brawl. Kaneda winked at Kei before she pulled away from him, walking down the open corridor as Kaneda spoke with the welcoming man. 

Taking a deep breath in, Kei exhaled softly. “Here you go. It may not be fancy, but it sure is cheap!” The bartender dripped with unspoken laughter, his eyes squeezing into teasing crescents. 

“WHAT WAS THAT!?” Kaneda hollered.

“I just said—!”

“WHAT WAS THAT!? SPEAK UP!!”

“I SAID YOU CAN HIDE OUT HERE!!”

“WELL, WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY SO!?” Kei groaned and facepalmed. Ranze was definitely a better option than Kaneda in all aspects...

[ ♡ ]

ＲＡＮＺＥ

Ranze reluctantly opened her distinctive dark brown eyes as she pulled her hand out of Tetsuo’s strong grasp—which had weakened over the course of their walk through the Seventeenth District. Wincing at the blinding light of the streetlights shining down on their frail bodies, she squints at him, trying to regain her sight as the blurriness fades and Tetsuo’s expression became readable. 

“Our trip together ends here. I’m not going with you anymore, not after what you did.” Ranze spat bitterly, narrowing her eyes as Tetsuo’s jaw seemingly drops. 

“I was the one who fucking got you out! You have to come with me!” He argued, his forehead creasing unflatteringly as Ranze turned around, ignoring his attempts at winning her over. 

“Fortunately, I’m not someone who murders in cold blood. Although, I do wish you luck in finding pills for that headache of yours...” Ranze responded, walking off as she shrugged nonchalantly—not daring to utter a single word to the younger boy, as she had known he had not been worth her time. Her heart coaxed her into taking the directions she needed to go, Harukiya resided in the Seventeenth District, and perhaps, by some miracle, the Capsules would be there. Maybe not all of them, but maybe Kaneda, or Yamagata—Kaisuke too! Even if they weren’t there, her former boss was there, and he could possibly give her a place to stay. As they were on good terms. 

ꨄ

Ranze stumbled down the open passage that had been littered with crates of booze, drugs, and all kinds of goodies. Her nose stung with the wretched, putrid scent of old alcohol, yet it was nostalgic in an odd sense. She caught herself on the wall next to the door, and knocked as hard as she could, yet her body was ready to tap out with fatigue. The door opened within mere seconds of her incessant knocking, and the burly figure of the man became evident to her as he eyed her worriedly. 

“Ranze! What are you doing here, kid?” He quipped, placing his hands on her shoulders as he shook the tiredness out of her momentarily. 

“Do you... have a spare place to stay?” She asked firmly, her eyes clouded with nausea and fatigue as she lolled her head back lazily. 

“We did... But two kids took it. You can share it with them if you really need it—“

“Just let me stay there, I’m gonna hurl...” She groaned before the bartender lead her down the hall, taking her downstairs to where the spare room resided. He hesitantly opened the door, as if he were expecting something obscene but he sighed in relief. 

“You two are gonna have to be quiet because you have another person staying with you!” He explained calmly and elaborately so both parties could hear clearly. “Here you are, Ranze.”

Ranze nodded gratefully, before stepping in and lifting her head to look at the two teenagers that sat on the bed quietly. Her eyes widened noticeably as the two people were so familiar in her eyes, they were Kaneda and Kei...

Kaneda gasped and threw himself off the bed, skidding over to Ranze and wrapping his arms around her in an embrace she missed so dearly. He squeezed her tightly, and buried his face into her shoulder. “You’re fucking here!” He said as Ranze slowly wrapped her arms around him, her eyes closing as she felt herself being engulfed by a reassuring warmth. 

“ _I’m... here..._ ” She murmurs before her body collapsed against his, fatigue striking her at last—knowing she could finally rest in a safe setting.

[ ♡ ]

ＣＯＬＯＮＥＬ

“Your opinion?”

Doctor Onishi scoffs, noticing Colonel Shikishima bite his lip in distaste as he gawked at the mangled corpses. “Beyond anything I expected! For him to awaken such power in so short a span of time... The girl too... The staff took her for a walk in the old garden, and they left with all the plants rejuvenated and fresh!”

The other scientists nodded in agreement, while the Colonel turned away and shuffled down the hall. “They must be included in the series and assigned their own numbers!” Doctor Onishi announced, pining his hands behind his back. 

“I believe **Number 41** and **Number 42** are the next available designations...?” The Colonel proposes, his stern tone hiding the underlying pulse of fear in his bones...


	25. ⌜ Choices Changing Our Future ⌟

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆...
> 
> In the dead of the night, Tetsuo and Ranze escape the government facility—albeit with the extreme protests of the older girl that hold him back slightly. Meanwhile on the other side of the city, Kei and Kaneda are fugitives of the law, as the army is on their tails as they scramble down the sewers to the Seventeenth District, where they seek refuge at the Harukiya bar.
> 
> With every fleeting ounce of her strength, Ranze pulls away from Tetsuo’s treacherous grasp, and leaves him in utter bewilderment as she navigates herself throughout the Seventeenth District. Only to find herself at Harukiya, where the hospitable nature of her former boss makes her drift into the endless perils of safety—as well as the joyous reunion of her and Kaneda. But will these luxuries last forever?

[ ♡ ]

ＴＥＴＳＵＯ

An aching sensation of guilt spread throughout Tetsuo’s chest, as well as the stinging, pulsating pain in his head that drove him absolutely mad. He didn’t know what had gotten over him—to take the life of three harmless human beings. That behaviour of his was what warranted Ranze to treat him that way—to be so paranoid in his presence. What would Kaori say to him? Would she still let him run into her warm embrace? 

Ranze’s words stood in the the air even long after she left him in her dust, flickering like burning flames that practically threatened to burn him. He was starting comprehend why Kaneda was so affected by the wrath of her words—if you were one of the people Ranze didn’t take a liking to, you could expect a barrage of cold phrases being thrown at you. He stood against the brick wall, processing everything he has gone through and simply staring dumbly into the distance. All while sporadic intervals of pain banged on the walls of his skull. 

Fate seemed to have forsaken him that night, however his mind had been swimming in a newfound anxiety that he couldn’t seem to put his finger on... Could it be the circling of rival bikers that neared his vicinity? They all flashed their lights on him, illuminating his sickly figure as he stood like a deer in headlights. One of the bikers got up, and trudged closer to him... Each step more deliberate than the next...

“I’ll show you how much... I love you with all my heart, _**fucker**_...” He spat as he twisted the metal cord that had been accentuated with bolts—a torture device that was aching to be used on Tetsuo.

Tetsuo didn’t dare to say anything as the biker had clearly been implicating the action of gruesomely harming him. His fellow bikers turned to look at each other with quick, subtle glares before turning away discreetly as the spectacle right before their eyes would be too extraordinary to miss. The fury radiating off of their ringleader was in fiery waves, and it nearly intimidated Tetsuo—frankly, their antics simply irritated him as he has been dealing with a horrible migraine. 

“You shoulda killed me when you had the chance... but it’s too late now...”

“Stop it! My head is fucking splitting...” Tetsuo quipped, taking a small step forwards as a form of a threat towards his assailant. 

“Nah... It isn’t splitting,” The biker scoffed. “But it’s gonna be!” 

No one dared to speak up as the biker threw his arm back before whipping it forwards aggressively to slash Tetsuo with the sharp force of the cord. Tetsuo’s face grew red with anger as he furrowed his eyebrows—the cord snapping pathetically as the bolts scattered across him. One of the stray bolts had even catapulted itself into the visor of Tetsuo’s attacker—shattering it and shooting straight into the boy’s eyes before blood squirted out. Tetsuo felt a rush of adrenaline consume him, similar to the one that he had when he murdered the hospital staff. Were his powers this entertaining to use?

“Watch that kid! He’s up to something weird!” One of the biker’s comrades growled, seemingly demanding answers for the odd maneuver Tetsuo pulled to fend off their leader.

Tetsuo didn’t appear to have an ounce of mercy in his body as he glared at the biker who roared in agony. He desired the thrill of ending someone’s life, using his powers more, and displaying how intimidating he could be. He cocked his eyebrow before the biker’s erupted in a fountain of blood and gore, bits of skull and brain flinging themselves in all directions—blood even splattered itself onto Tetsuo’s face, which made him twitch in disgust. 

“Y’know, my head doesn’t hurt anymore! How’s yours!?” Tetsuo mocked the deceased biker, who’s body collapsed onto the ground as blood oozed from the stump that once carried his head. 

Tetsuo sighed dramatically before his eyes flickered to the frozen bodies of the bikers, their expressions unreadable and empty, with exclamations of frustration that were discreetly intermingled. 

“Hey! You’ve got it, don’t you?” Tetsuo asked, clenching his hands into fists. 

“G-Got what?” One of them piped up.

“The drug... The one I need to feel better...” 

There was an obnoxious silence as the biker’s exchanged glances with each other, unsure of how to answer the teenage boy. “YOU GOT A PROBLEM!?” Tetsuo seethed. 

“W-We don’t have it on us!” 

“Goddamn it!” Came Tetsuo’s shrill cry as he pressed the palm of his hand to his forehead, before turning back to the wall, moaning. “The headache’s coming back, but stronger! Like I could die from it!”

“Wait! We’ll get you what you need!” And that phrase was all Tetsuo needed to continue on with the foolish antics of this hopeless biker gang...

[ ♡ ]

ＫＡＮＥＤＡ

The teenagers fell silent as they resided on the filthy mattress that was deemed a bed. Ranze had been tucked securely behind Kei and Kaneda, her deep breaths indicating she was caught in a deep slumber. Kaneda didn’t dare to speak, as Kei appeared to be radiating pure, unadulterated rage—and he much preferred to caress the gentle curvature of Ranze’s slender back as she slept peacefully. 

“No water, no toilet, the ceiling so low we can hardly stand upright,” Kei piped up. “It’s a rathole!”

Kaneda rolled his eyes, taking his hand off of Ranze’s back and folding his arms. “So, what’s the story on Ryu? Or whatever his name is...” Kaneda asked, casting Kei an annoyed glance as he touched upon the topic that appeared to have bothered the young woman. “What’s he to you?”

Kaneda looked down at his feet awkwardly, scuffing against the worn wooden floorboards. The hatred he had for such circumstances expelled from his body in little, aggravated ticks. With the presence of Ranze against his back eased his anger, knowing he had someone he could get along with—along with the fact his heart was heavy with affection he wanted to give to her, yet he was afraid to.

“He’s my _brother_...”

“But he doesn’t look anything like you!” Kaneda laughed, trying to ease the tension in the room. 

Kei shot him a hard glare and shuffled away from him, turning her body away from him dismissively. “That’s none of your business... I’m not asking about Ranze, but you’re here trying to squeeze your way into my family matters...”

“Does it interest you, my dear?” He asked, slithering his arm around her shoulder. “I can tell you everything if you need me to—“

“Move the hand or lose it.” Kei brushed off his question, narrowing her eyes at him in distaste.

“You don’t mean that...” Kaneda purred as he threw himself onto Kei, nearly knocking her on top of Ranze. Kei let out an anguished squeal as Kaneda barked incessantly, his hands moving under her coat and grabbing hold of what he really wanted. Kei growled and dragged her hand across his face roughly, slapping whatever sense she could into him. 

“YOU MORON!!” She hissed, kicking him off of her—sending Kaneda into the crates of booze which elicited a groan from him. “I warned you...”

“Woof!” Kaneda smiled sympathetically as he held up the gun teasingly before moving his hand to grab Ranze’s arm—which had been dangling off the bed—before yanking her off the bed and slinging her over his shoulder as he heaved himself up. 

Kei groaned loudly and pinned her hands to her sides. “When did you—!?”

“I’m just borrowing it for awhile.” Kaneda replied as he fiddled with the door as he multitasked with keeping the unconscious body of Ranze stable on his shoulder, before he opened the door, stepping out swiftly. 

“ **HEY! WAIT A MINUTE!!** ” 

The door clicked shut, locking Kei from the inside as she began to aggressively bang on it while Kaneda howled with laughter but quieted himself down as Ranze groaned. “Now all we have to do is get my bike, Ranz.” Kaneda reaches over to pat Ranze on the back as he skipped down the hallway. 

[ ♡ ]

ＴＥＴＳＵＯ

“Hey! We’re here!” The biker jerked his head back violently in Tetsuo’s direction, only to see him moan in agony, “I said—“

“Shut up... It makes my head hurt when you talk...” Tetsuo answered lowly, his eyes darting around their surroundings in the fear that someone could possibly overhear them and report to the authorities. 

ꨄ

“What do you mean Chip’s head exploded!?” Joker growls, clenching his hands into fists as he practically starts shaking with anger. “So who killed him? Did you bring him here?”

One of the bikers sighs and shakes his head, taking a bite of his sandwich and refusing to make eye contact with Joker and the other hooligans. “Well...” He murmurs as he gestured to the visibly agitated Tetsuo.

“Are you gonna keep me here all night!?” Tetsuo blared, moving his hand out of the biker’s grasp. 

“Hey! It’s that weird kid from before!”

“What are you talking about?” 

“Well, that kid... he...” He trailed off before whispering in Joker’s ear.

“HEY!” Tetsuo called out in frustration, causing the scattered debris to float off the ground around him—sending the bikers in his vicinity into a state of constant panic. 

“ _Shit_...” Joker cursed once Tetsuo’s anger simmered down a bit, before taking the initiative to move closer to the teenage boy. “How’d you get here, punk!?”

“Joker—!”

“Think you’re pretty tough, huh?” He mused, before turning away from Tetsuo in order to snatch one of the spare bowling pins. “Well, I’m gonna break you in two!” 

Tetsuo pulled his head back to look up at the ceiling, bowling balls were levitating ominously over the head of Joker—before they dropped to ground aggressively, creating huge holes in the floor around the now terrorized biker. 

“ _ **NOW, WHERE ARE MY DRUGS!?**_ ” He yelled at the Clowns, his fingers curling themselves into the material of his loose shorts.

[ ♡ ]

ＲＡＮＺＥ

Ranze groaned weakly as her head been pressed against someone’s back—that someone being Kaneda, as the masculine scent of car exhaust and his cologne stung her nose with nostalgia. The more her eyes adjusted to the dimly-lit setting of the sewers, the more she started to comprehend the circumstances she had been placed in. Her heart momentarily clenched as she looked up at Kaneda, who’s eyes were widened with fear and urgency as he trembled momentarily. 

“You’re awake?” Kaneda turned his head to ask her once he noticed her adjust herself in his arms, before he stopped in his tracks. “Shit, another crossway...” He cursed, before Ranze tapped him. 

“You can set me down... Now, tell me... Why are we in the sewers?” A wry smile crosses Ranze’s lips as he set her down safely. 

“I’m looking for my bike... I left it somewhere near the Olympic Stadium.” Kaneda tapped his finger against his chin quizzically, contemplating. “Actually, let’s just go up to the street level. That way, it’ll take less time!” 

They stumbled down the passage until they reached a ladder to which Kaneda held out his arms with a charming smile painted on his delicate face. “May I—“

“I can help myself, but thank you.” Ranze said sternly as she heaved herself up the ladder, Kaneda following her—muttering unintelligible things under his breath as they climbed.

“Ranze, is it just me or do you feel like someone’s with us...” He asked her as she lifted the lid before carefully tossing it to the side and pulling herself and Kaneda out of the tunnel. 

“I do feel something... It’s on my back, and it feels _warm_... Strangely enough.” 

“Yeah, it’s weird— What the? We’re way off! This is the middle of the Olympic site!” Kaneda referred to their current location.

“This place is really tedious when it comes to escaping. It’s crawling with guards, so we should try to keep it down.” Ranze observed as she looked around, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear before gasping quietly when Kaneda dropped the heavy lid onto the ground roughly. This foolish move eliciting an echoing “clang” across the construction site. 

Ranze roughly grabbed Kaneda by his hand, and sprinted down the open space before shoving him behind a wall. Their chests heaving up and down with ragged pants. The murmurs of guards filled their ears as they pressed themselves against the wall in terror—as if one tiny peep from either parties would send them spiraling into trouble. 

Ranze gulped as their footsteps neared, her fingers clutching the material of Kaneda’s sleeve as if her life had depended on it. However, something distracts the two teenagers as a loud, deafening whirring—possibly coming from a helicopter—could be heard from above. 

“THE COLONEL HAS LANDED!” The guards announced, causing Ranze’s heart to sink into the pit of her stomach. 

“ _The Colonel..._ ” Kaneda whispered lowly, before quietly gasping at the young woman’s trembling physique. He slithered his hand closer to hers before grasping it firmly. It wasn’t like the way Tetsuo had gripped her earlier that night... This was different. His motives were clear behind his actions, he wanted to display comfort for Ranze, to assure her that he was there to endure it all with her. 


	26. ⌜ High on the Adrenaline ⌟

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆...
> 
> Tetsuo is confronted by the infamous “Clowns”—a vicious motorcycle gang that rivals the Capsules. With a pulsating headache and terrible motives, Tetsuo singlehandedly murders one of the violent bikers, all while desiring pills to sedate his headache. The Clowns promise him pills and they take Tetsuo under their wing.
> 
> In the Seventeenth District—Kei, Kaneda, and Ranze are sitting ducks as they try to lessen the amount of tension between each other. Sick of the idle chatter, Kaneda snatches Kei’s gun and takes an unconscious Ranze to help him find his motorcycle. They find themselves at the very middle of the Olympic site, before they run to hide from the vast amount of guards... before the whirring of a helicopter can be heard from above, signalling the Colonel’s arrival.

[ ♡ ]

ＲＡＮＺＥ

The fear softened as Kaneda grasped her hand. For a moment, she turned to stare at him—and under the moonlight that streamed over the buildings, he looked almost ethereal. Faint bruises still marred his skin; and some scars lingered, not budging to go away. Ranze never realized that she had never been filled with more self-loathing than she had ever felt at that moment. What was she doing? If she were to be seen with Kaneda or Kei, the authorities would certainly believe she was kidnapped. What kind of consequences would they face because of her? 

Suddenly, Ranze’s breaths grew rapid and shallow as the shouting of guards could be heard over the loud whirring of the helicopter. She looked at Kaneda, her eyes bloodshot and glossy as their eyes reunited in their infamous “staring contests”. 

“ ** _THE LIGHTS! TURN OUT THE LIGHTS, YOU IDIOTS_**!” The Colonel roared, nearly sending the two teenagers into a panic. “ _ **DO YOU WANT EVERYONE AROUND HERE TO KNOW ABOUT OUR SECRET BASE!?**_ ” 

“We gotta scram,” Kaneda murmured, instinctively knowing when the danger was nearing them. Ranze broke free from his grasp as she ushered him to follow her down the vacant passage near one of the garages where a variety of vehicles resided. They walked next to one of the bulldozers, Kaneda’s body hunched as he stuffed his hands in pockets. 

“Me and my shadow. Wherever I go, that skinhead shows up—“ 

Ranze’s lips curved into a frown, a strong, painful feeling banging at her heart. “Don’t call him that, please.”

“What? Why do you care if I call him that, Ranze?” 

“He’s my _grand uncle_ , Kaneda.”

Ranze didn’t realize her slip of the tongue until Kaneda’s eyes widened in astonishment. “He’s related to you?” 

The instant the words left Kaneda’s mouth, he absentmindedly knocked over a bucket as they walked. This created an echoing “clang” that alerted the vast majority of guards in their vicinity. 

“S-Shit!” Kaneda whispered, his eyes straying to Ranze before she pulled the two of them against the bulldozer—standing on their tiptoes uncomfortably before they twitched in discomfort when an obnoxious spray of light coated them. 

“INTRUDERS!” 

“HALT! HALT!!”

Ranze’s jaw clenched. They had the guards on their tail now—and if she were going to survive with him and Kei, she would have to contribute to steering them both out of trouble. A fire lit itself in the pit of Ranze’s heart, a fire that would be damned if it went out just because of a couple guards that tried to get a hold of them. Ranze was willing to put up a fight, despite the “hindrance” of her not wanting to truly harm anyone. The two teenagers bolted down the open space, the aggravated voices of the guards echoing throughout their eardrums like horrible mantras they couldn’t get it rid of. 

They veered around the corner only to the wide space that would possibly save their hinds from the danger that was biting at them from behind. The canal. Ranze looked at Kaneda and nodded at him, before throwing herself off the ledge with him at her side. 

“GERONIMO!” Kaneda hollered as they fell—Ranze twisted her body around before her back slapped against the filthy water of the canal. She heaved herself into the tunnel, and pulled Kaneda in with her as the guards started to drop into the canal. The two of them scrambled down the end of the narrow passage, sliding awkwardly with the slick liquid coating all of the surfaces. Ranze slid past Kaneda on her stomach, the side of her left thigh grazing his cheek roughly as they got to the end of the tunnel.

“Ranze, your fucking thigh!” Kaneda groaned as banged his head against the top of the tunnel when attempting to stand up. 

“It’s a narrow space!” Ranze hissed, grabbing Kaneda and pulling him out of the tunnel onto the ground right when bullets started to ricochet all over the walls of the tunnel they had escaped. 

[ ♡ ]

ＣＯＬＯＮＥＬ

Colonel Shikishima was distracted that evening as he stared at the scientists around him. When he thought about Ranze and Tetsuo, his sense of duty shattered—knowing he wasn’t able to prevent their sneaky departure from the hospital. What would happen to them if they were out in that corrupted metropolis alone? Two fragile human beings with powers they were so newly-acquainted with. All of these thoughts were clouding the sternness in his eyes and even warranted Doctor Onishi to look at him incredulously. 

Perhaps he was a little too distracted— as he didn’t notice the nauseating feeling of the platform descending down into the trenches, the air growing noticeably more frigid. 

“You’ll need to wear one of these, sir,” Doctor Onishi said once they’d reached their destination at the bottom, offering the gruff man one of the patented coats. Colonel Shikishima let out a grunt, gratefully taking the coat and draping it over himself, zipping it up. 

Colonel Shikishima’s eyes flickered to the technology and gadgets that were clasped in the hands of many of the scientists, before his gaze shot up to an exasperated Doctor Onishi. “Colonel! This way, sir!”

The Colonel stomped off the platform and followed the tiny old man. He didn’t have many interest in the exact analytics, but perhaps the secrets that were nestled deeply in these trenches. The bitter, cold air that nipped at his face didn’t bother him as his curiosity had gotten the better of him. He broke free from the small conclave of scientists and ventured off to the room that piqued his interest the most. He typed in the combination and moved into the room. 

There, stood in awe as the multitude of tubes and machinery shined majestically in the darkness. It was large, dome-like structure with a tiny door with the label “Akira” plastered above it. It was utterly mind-boggling knowing that the government chose to cancel such a fascinating project, and not further with it. Why couldn’t they see what opportunities stood in front of their eyes? 

“My dearest Hana, if only you could see the _joke_ they made of your passing,” The Colonel murmured, clenching his hands into tight fists at the melancholic memory of his late niece. He nearly jumped at the sound of footsteps from behind him, but he exhaled deeply as he continued to gawk at the glowing dome. 

Colonel Shikishima’s eyes gleamed. “What a disgrace! They were ashamed, afraid... They chose to conceal it, they buried the roots of a great civilization,” He explained, his mind flickering to the images of all the test subjects that were involved in the project. “They lacked the courage to go further and turned their backs on what science had to offer them...”

“...And tried to forever seal away the hole they had torn open with _their_ own hands...”

[ ♡ ]

ＫＥＩ

Kei didn’t take a liking to Kaneda and Ranze, but she felt her heart sink when she saw the desperation younger boy had when he embraced her. The two of them made her think of herself and Ryu—two people who relied on each other and fought against the cruelty of the world. Kaneda hadn’t told her much about Ranze, and Kei couldn’t see much for herself. The mysterious aura that the younger girl emitted was off-putting, but it was interesting, to the say the least. She was a presence Kei couldn’t get rid of, and the feeling she had when Ranze was around fascinating—it was warm, and comforting, like she would mean no harm. 

Kei bit her lip as she lifted up the lid, and slid it onto the ground before pulling herself out of the sewers. She carefully tiptoed closer to the wall, pressing her back against it as she monitored her surroundings, looking for the guards that lurked the premises. Her eyes widened and she froze, there was a bulky, large object protruding from under a cover. She gripped the cover and roughly jerked it off, only to see the shining red motorcycle that’d belonged to Kaneda. 

Kei blew out a breath through her teeth. Kaneda hadn’t retrieved the bike with Ranze, but where could they have been? “They never made it... It’s untouched!” 

[ ♡ ]

ＫＡＮＥＤＡ

“That’s a dead end! They must have gone this way!” 

Kaneda and Ranze ignored the hollers of the guards, who had been yelling and trudging behind them. Their steps nearing them more and more as they sprinted through the sewers. “Those guys just don’t quit.” Kaneda spat, looking around as the cacophony of footsteps grew louder and louder. 

“Now where do we go?” Kaneda piped up, pressing his body to the walls as Ranze scanned their surroundings before stopping awkwardly. Kaneda cocked an eyebrow before following the angle of her eyes, and casting his eyes upon the large fence that blocked the passage. “What is that!?”

Kaneda’s eyes flew open when he heard the loud whirring of machinery from behind them, which alerted Ranze as she turned him around to look with her. Three soldiers were riding in small flying mechanisms that were armed with a vast artillery, and were calling unintelligible orders to each other as they flew closer and closer to the teenagers. 

“Great, we’re trapped!” Kaneda exclaimed, rubbing his hand against his side before slipping his hand into his pants, clutching his gun. A twisted scowl remained on Ranze’s face as she eyed the three men, her eyes cold and precise with her thoughts. “OKAY, WISE GUYS, YOU ASKED FOR IT!” Kaneda shrieked, pulling out the gun and aiming it at the men, before firing a round of warning shots. 

Ranze’s eyes squinted shut as the light bathed them, their presences now evident to their assailants as they all roared with fury. “ _ **COME AND GET US, SUCKERS!**_ ” Kaneda mused, before his eyes widened when the machine guns clicked and began to fire vicious rounds at them. 

Kaneda backed himself against the wall, but Ranze brazenly threw herself in front of him—and before his mind could figure out the situation he was placed in, the bullets deflected themselves and were thrown back at the attackers. Kaneda felt a shudder wreck himself as one of the machines has been struck, and collapsed to the ground roughly. Which resulted in an aggressive combustion of the man and the machinery—this didn’t sit well with Ranze as she began to violently shake. Another man had his head dragged against the walls, before he too exploded causing some blood to splatter on Ranze.

Ranze stared at Kaneda with fearful eyes, making his jaw clench at her hesitance. Kaneda squared his shoulders and the expression on his face was utter astonishment. Was this the work of Ranze? She looked frightened, and unsure of what she had just done for protection of Kaneda and herself. Kaneda knew she didn’t do it in cold blood, she did it with the mindset of protection. But it appeared protection didn’t remain accountable in her head, as she had been shaken up with the fact she had ended two lives. 

Kaneda’s look of astonishment didn’t fade as he looked over at the gaping hole that was made in the fence. “Whoa! _Muchas gracias!_ ” Kaneda yelped as he helped Ranze up, taking her with him into the other side of the fence.

Kaneda couldn’t stop the pain tightening in his chest. He was worried for the well-being of Ranze, especially after the accidental stunt she pulled. If Tetsuo went with her, could he have the same case as her? How would he cope with it too? Two of his friends were in a tough spot, and he was caught in between. They trudged down the passage, their bodies close to the wall before another round of shots were fired at them. 

“NOT AGAIN!”

“K-Kaneda, this way!” Ranze said shakily, grasping his hand in hers before leading him down the tunnel. “There’s a light at the end of the tunnel, we just have to run...!”

Nodding gratefully, Kaneda trailed behind her. He watched the way her face contorted into a mixture of expressions—frightened, hesitant, and determined. She was brave enough to follow through with him and take the necessary risks with him—although harming others wasn’t something she wanted to do, even if it was all self-defence. He knew she would hold herself guilty for the passings of those men, and it burned his heart knowing she would blame herself to such a degree. Was her empathy a disadvantage to her?

Kaneda ignored the squelching of his socks and continued to run with Ranze, until she halted abruptly as they’d reached the end of the path. And at the end of that path was a steep drop that made Kaneda gulp, unsure of what to do next. 

“ _Looks like we’ve scored another big goose egg..._ ” Kaneda said in between ragged pants, his eyes checking the true extent of the drop. 


	27. ⌜ All We’ve Got ⌟

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆...
> 
> Kaneda and Ranze make a mad-dash for the canal as they’ve already created a disturbance in the air around the facility. They rush with nothing but a firearm in Kaneda’s pocket and the mostly unawakened psychic powers of Ranze. Meanwhile, the Colonel and the government’s team of scientists drift into the secret trenches below the Olympic Stadium—the Colonel’s curiosity peaks as he finds a seemingly vacant room and decides to venture in it. It is there that he sees cryogenic chamber that holds the remains of Akira. 
> 
> Running through the filthy sewers, Kaneda and Ranze are desperate and eventually find themselves cornered by three watchmen. Kaneda attempts to pull a gun on them but Ranze prevents him from doing so—and there another one of her powers are awakened, as she deflects the machine gun bullets. With a plethora of mysteries ahead of them, can they prevail in such dire situations?

[ ♡ ]

ＫＡＮＥＤＡ

Kaneda winced when he saw the horror on Ranze’s face. He’d been wrong to presume she was going to pull through this far, but the way her eyes widened and she knelt down in the water—nearly scrambling as currents worsened slightly. Kaneda placed his hand on her shoulder before his head shot up when he heard the feminine gasp of Kei—who had been on the other side of the passage, looking for them. 

“ _ **HELP! COME AND GET US!**_ ” Kaneda exclaimed, almost tripping as he stepped forwards—but Ranze gripped his hand cautiously, making him revel in the warmth of her hand. 

Kei leaned over the fence, her eyes flickering between Ranze and Kaneda. “What are you two doing here!?” 

“What do you...” Kaneda trailed off as a violent round of shots could be heard from behind him and Ranze. The shock sent Kaneda stumbling off the ledge, desperately clutching at the platform as the currents splashed against him roughly. Ranze ducked and placed her hands on his wrists, steadying him so he wouldn’t go falling from the ledge. She wasn’t nearly as strong as himself and she wasn’t capable of heaving him up. 

All bravery disappeared from Ranze’s eyes as her right had been shaking so violently she’d lost grip of Kaneda’s left wrist. Kaneda stared at her, clutching the gun his left hand and his breath caught in his throat—hardly able to believe his eyes. Ranze kept him up with both her hands clasped tightly around his forearm. The man slid into the open space on the malfunctioning vehicle, spinning erratically as he tried to control the machine. 

“T-THE ARMY!” Kei stammered, leaning over so dangerously as Kaneda believed she might’ve been able to fall from the platform she was on. 

“YOU MUST BE A FRIEND OF THEIRS!” 

“—Ranze, I need you to let go... Let me slide, I got an idea...” Ranze’s face was alight with fear and determination all at once. She was hesitant, but there was a hidden pulse of tenacity that’d always lurked behind her cold, articulated demeanour. That little bit of determination made a world of difference—it would help them steer away from the trouble. Ranze quickly removed her hands from his forearm and he began to slide down the wall with the flow of the water.

Kaneda buried his fingers into the water, clutching the wall as his mind rehearsed his plan carefully. The man was currently caught off-guard with his malfunctioning vehicle, and if he were to leap from the wall and grasp the handlebars at the bottom of the machine he would have a chance at shooting the man. Once he’d found the best angle of attack, he pounced. He leaped bravely from the wall and over the vehicle, before fell and miraculously gripped the handlebar at the perfect moment. Kaneda howled in pain as his slippery fingers struggled to keep themselves around the metal beam—and holding himself up in midair was a tough task that took a toll on his body. 

“G-GET OFF THERE YOU LITTLE—“

The man’s wish had been granted—as the moisture building up on Kaneda’s hand had caused him to let go, sending him plummeting into the sewage below. Kaneda caught a glimpse of Ranze, her movements were irregular and shaky—as she had wrapped her arms around herself. Kaneda dropped into the water, his entire body nearly going lax as he heard the faint rumble of an explosion from above the water. Did Ranze use her powers again? 

[ ♡ ]

ＣＯＬＯＮＥＬ

“The intruder made it into the sewer, sir. He has _Hayasaka-sama_ with him, and we’ve lost the two of them!” The soldier nervously clutched his jacket before opening his mouth to reassure the Colonel, “B-But we hope soon—!”

The Colonel was rarely ever left speechless, but this was one of the few times. Wordlessly, he turned to them. “I thought it had been sealed.” 

“There... there have been a few delays in construction, sir. A few passages are still—“

He glanced at the soldier incredulously—cocking an eyebrow at him. Behind all of this sternness was a crumbling soul, knowing he lost Ranze to this delinquent was sending him into some sort of trauma. It didn’t want her to face the same cruel fate Hana had been left with years and years ago. 

“I’M SORRY, SIR! THERE’S NO EXCUSE!”

The Colonel turned around and adjusted his collar, sighing softly. “Never mind. Find the mouse and _exterminate_ it, then retrieve Ranze.”

[ ♡ ]

ＫＥＩ

Kei shrank back and looked at Ranze, before reaching out an arm to the girl unknowingly. “Jump and grab my arm! I’ll pull you!” 

Ranze took a shaky breath and stumbled back, before bolting to the ledge and leaping—throwing her hand into Kei’s, which the older girl pulled her up with little to no difficulty. Ranze got onto the platform and dusted herself off, before nodding gratefully at Kei. “Thank you.”

The two girls got onto the ladder and climbed down to reach the level Kaneda had dropped to. Ranze jumped off and looked around hurriedly, and behind her cold stare Kei could spot immense levels of worry. She then moved away from Kei when she spotted Kaneda, hunched over the large tubes—drenched in the rancid water that made both of the girls repulse. 

“ _Kaneda_ ,” Ranze pinned him with a levelled look. “Are you okay?” 

Kaneda’s mouth fell open as if he were ready to hurl. “I wish I could die...” He grabbed the hand Ranze offered to him and unthinkingly rested himself against her. Kei’s nose scrunched—she was okay with him plastering himself all over herself like that? Perhaps Ryu would do the same thing to herself if they were in such a situation. 

“Well, that’s what you get for being such a dope!” Kei placed her hands on her hips and tossed her head to the side. Kaneda only groaned in protest. 

“Kei has a fair point. You’d need to have the whole sewer system memorized perfectly if you wanted to go someplace. It’s quite obvious you don’t know anything, Kaneda.” Ranze said nonchalantly. 

“See? She gets it!” 

Kaneda bit his lip and lifted his arm, handing the gun to Kei. “I used one of your bullets, but I’ll replace it...”

“Give us a break, will you?” Ranze murmured, a half-smile painting her face as she looked away. 

ꨄ

They were outside again, the three of them pressed against the wall as they cautiously glanced around the premises of the site. Kei had been so captivated by the shenanigans they’d been left in that she’d forgotten why Kaneda had left her in the first place. The fiery determination and uninhibited worry remained in Ranze’s eyes as she respectfully listened in on what Kei had to say. It made Kei feel content in a way—knowing that there was someone who heard what she had to say and took it into a consideration. Kaneda moseyed off to his bike and began to examine it, while Ranze stared up at the night sky blankly. 

Kei turned her head to look at Kaneda, who was still tinkering with his bike. “How’s the bike?”

“Holding together,” Kaneda said quickly, curling his fingers around the mechanics. “The battery’s almost shot, but that shouldn’t matter.”

“Will it take three people?” Ranze asked, taking her eyes away from the sky to look at Kaneda. He shrugged and got up, placing his hands behind his head. 

“It’s super dangerous, but since you’re so small you probably can’t take up that much space, Ranze. It’s a worthy risk!” Kaneda explained, getting on the bike and tampering with it more. “We’ll be fine! I think...”

Kei’s eyes grew round and she looked at Ranze, who was absentmindedly fiddling with a pebble in between her index finger and thumb. She sucked in a deep breath, her muscles contracting. Why wasn’t Ranze as surprised as she was? Perhaps Ranze had been used the risk factors of riding with Kaneda and was ultimately neutral when it came to such drastic decisions. 

“Come on, stupid! Fucking work!” Kaneda growled as he banged his fist against the control panel of the bike before it miraculously started up—rumbling lowly. “Alright, get on, ladies!”

Ranze didn’t hesitate to walk over to the motorcycle and climb on behind him, pressing her body tightly behind his—trying to make enough room for Kei. Kei bit her lip and scampered off to them, and reluctantly sat down behind Ranze. They were all squished together uncomfortably, but Ranze’s relatively small build gave Kei a minuscule amount of room to adjust herself a bit. 

“Can we escape now?” Kei asked, exasperated. 

Kaneda dragged his gaze back to the faces of the two girls while simultaneously revving the bike up. “With me at the wheel, we’re as good as gone!”

[ ♡ ]

ＲＡＮＺＥ

𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳...

The streets of the Seventeenth District were deserted that morning. Ranze and Kei stood at the junction, Ranze leaned against the lamppost as she pretended to be engrossed in the newspaper. Every so often, she moved her sharp gaze to Kei—who had been looking around for something that was unknown to Ranze. After a good couple of minutes, Ranze straightened, discarded the papers and strode down the sidewalk with Kei keeping up with her.

“Why did you bring me out today?” Ranze asked, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear as she turned to Kei. 

Kei folded her arms against her chest. “You and I need to get some new clothes, and I’m overdue for a new haircut. I figured we could get to know each other if we go out together.” 

“Well,” Ranze said, biting her lip. “Who’s paying for all this? I don’t necessarily have money on me.”

“I’ll be paying. I have some leftover cash Ryu left me with. We can afford two pairs of jeans, two shirts, and maybe scissors if we’re lucky.”

Ranze froze. “ _Scissors?_ ”

“I’m letting you cut my hair.” Kei explained, leading Ranze into a clothing store. “I’ve seen how precise you are, you seem like you’d be good with a pair of scissors.”

“I’m not in a place to do that,” Ranze frowned. “I don’t want to mess anything up for you.”

“If we’re going to be working alongside each other, we have to trust each other. Go ahead and choose something, but make it cheap.”

ꨄ

The alleyway was empty with a variety of crates placed around it. The two girls had gotten changed into the new articles of clothing they’d just purchased. Thankfully, they had enough money to afford just what Kei had intended on purchasing for the two of them. Ranze had gotten a tight, black cropped mock-neck t-shirt with a jean skirt which looked flattering. Kei opted for plain jeans and black tank top which looked equally as beautiful on her. The older girl plopped down on the crate and the younger draped her coat over her to prevent the pieces of hair from getting on her. 

“Are you sure about this?”

Kei let out a snort of laughter, and nodded slowly. Ranze started to develop a soft-spot for Kei, and even looked up to her a bit. She knew that behind the older girl’s jabs and sarcastic remarks was a growing platonic attraction that both girls desperately needed in such a cruel world. Ranze carefully took a couple strands of Kei’s hair in her hands and began to trim them conservatively. 

“Ranze, what happened to you at the hospital? I’ll keep it confidential if you want me to.” Kei murmured as Ranze clipped at her hair. 

Ranze swallowed, recalling the memories of her time spent at the hospital. “It was odd. They ran examinations on me and rummaged around in my brain, but there were some good elements... I learned about my mother and my grand-uncle.” 

“Were you close to your mother?” Kei asked, her hands fidgeting in her lap. “You don’t have to share if you’re not comfortable.”

Ranze’s mood dipped considerably as she sighed softly. “I never _knew_ my mother, I’ll just leave it that.”

“Oh, it’s fine,” Kei hurriedly backtracked. “Anyways, do you mind telling me about the Kaneda-boy? You seem to be close to him.”

Ranze’s eyes brightened as a blush crept across her face. “We’re not close in any sense. But we care about each other’s well-beings.”

“Well, I’ve seen him save you and you save him. I’ve seen you embrace each other a couple times, and he talks about you from time to time. And you say you’re not close? There has to be something between you two!”

“I-I have a deep regard for him, I’ll say that,” Ranze admitted, with a soft laugh.

Kei chuckled in agreement. “There’s something special in your relationship, and I admire that. I look forward to working with you, Ranze.” 

[ ♡ ]

ＲＹＵ

Ryu watched as Kei visibly brightened, her shoulders relaxing and her lips curling upwards in a faint but happy smile. He also noticed that there was another girl accompanying her—it was the girl that’d accompanied Kaneda that one night! He’d also known her for the reason that she was one of the two teenagers that’d developed psychic powers. But what was she doing in broad daylight, especially with Kei?

But before Ryu could say anything Kei had looped her arms around him tightly. “It’s good to see you, Ryu! I’ve been so worried!”

Ryu stopped and turned to look at Ranze, who hadn’t been paying attention to their reunion as she looked out into the bay nonchalantly. “You’ve been worried? Where have you been for the past week!? And why is Hayasaka with you?!”

Kei pulled away from Ryu and looked down at the bruises that marred his tanned skin, her eyebrows knitting together. “What happened to your arm?” She dodged his questions as if they meant nothing compared to his well-being.

“Aw... It’s nothing, just a scratch!” 

ꨄ

“...Buckets that fly, huh?”

“That’s sort of what they looked like. You can ask Ranze, she was there with us.” 

“They were armed flying machines,” Ranze shrugged before turning an accusatory gaze on Ryu. “Where did _**you**_ go after Kei escaped with Kaneda?”

Ryu crossed his arms and turned away, looking at the sky. “That doesn’t matter to you, squirt.”

“On the topic of the ‘flying buckets’, I’ve heard of them. They’re flying platforms,” Ryu’s accomplice narrowed his eyes. “The army introduced them this year.”

“So that’s something else they can use against us...” Ryu murmured, rubbing his chin with his thumb and index finger. 

“And it looked like they doubled the guards since the last time.” Kei added.

“We beat the bushes for a small game and a tiger comes after us...” Ryu sighed, before turning to Ranze. “You were in the government facility, do you have information you can share with us?”

“I have information, but it’s mostly on the cases of the Espers.” Ranze twiddled her thumbs as she continued to look out into the bay, her eyes glimmering in the sunlight. 

“Word is, top brass held an emergency meeting just a few weeks ago.” 

Ryu shoved his hands into his pockets, cocking an eyebrow. “We got reports on part of what went on in there. I don’t know exactly what’s going down, but they’re pouring phenomenal amounts of money into it.”

“Then that’s the place?” Kei asked, turning to Ryu.

“That’s what we’re trying to find out.” Ryu mumbled, cradling his jaw in his hand as he gazed down at the water below them.

“Then I want to be in on it, Ryu! I mean it!” Kei exclaimed, placing her hand on her chest to emphasize her willingness to go through with such a daunting mission. 

“Well, what about the capsule? Does the kid still have it?” Ryu turned to both of the girls, who had their heads held down—gnawing at the insides of their mouths as if they’d nothing to say. 

“I don’t think so,” Kei started. “I searched as well as I could. Maybe he was telling the truth about it...”

“Maybe I did overestimate him.” Ryu wondered aloud as his eyes flickered back to the scenery. 

“It wouldn’t be hard.” Ranze responded bluntly, causing Ryu and Kei to swivel their heads to look at her in disbelief.

“She’s honest! Now that’s a new thing to see these days in teenagers.” He chuckled, placing his head on his forehead. Ranze cocked her head to the side, and looked at Kei quizzically as of Ryu was crazy. 

“Come on, Ryu. It’s about time we get out of here.” 

“Already?” Kei murmured, her eyebrows furrowed in disappointment. 

“Stay with Kaneda and Hayasaka, Kei. I don’t want the army getting their hands on the two of them. Especially Hayasaka.” Ryu turned around and began to walk with his accomplice. “I’ll be in touch soon. See you!”

[ ♡ ]

ＹＡＭＡＧＡＴＡ

Yamagata found himself stomping down the stairs of the Harukiya. Kaneda, Ranze, and Tetsuo were presumed to be missing, and boy, did it make his gears grind. Kaneda was a lost cause—but that was what made him thrive in such circumstances, that’s why he was their leader. He was able to assess danger quicker than any of them could, and he was able to steer everyone out of it. Ranze, in his own wording, was a sisterly figure—he gave it his all in terms of keeping her under his wing. And what do you know, she disappears too! And Tetsuo, he was always mysterious and bitter. Yamagata knew deep down the government wanted him back, yet the reasons remained unknown to him. 

Kaisuke and Kuwata were present with him that night, equally as frustrated as he had been. “DAMMIT TO HELL!” Yamagata hissed, swinging the door open roughly as they stepped into the bar.

“What’s your beef?” Returned the bartender with faint irritation. “Want your usual?”

“SCREW IT! MAKE IT DOUBLE!” Yamagata barked, slamming his fist onto the counter for added effect.

“Me, too!” Kaisuke piped up.

The bartender turned to the shelves of liquor and began to create the concoctions the boys drank on a day-to-day basis. “So, Yamagata, what’s eating you and your pals, anyway?”

“Nothing and everything! I can’t control my fucking indigestion!”

The sudden outburst of Yamagata was enough to startle Kaisuke, who nearly flinched when Yamagata brought his fist down to the counter a second time. 

“So take a bicarb...” The bartender suggested, shaking up the alcohol and ice. 

“IT’S NOT MY STOMACH THAT’S UPSET! IT’S MY PRIDE!!” 

“You jerk! Can’t you get anything right?!” Kaisuke began, obviously irritated. “What you meant to say was _‘indignation’_!” 

“I knew what I meant!” 

Kaisuke straightened in his seat and frowned, placing his jaw in his hands as he watched the bartender’s every move. “We need Ranze and Kaneda... Wish I knew where they were...”

“Sometimes wishes come true~!” The bartender sang, polishing the glasses before Yamagata slammed both his hands onto the counter and leaned over. 

“ _ **WHAT’S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN!?**_ ”

[ ♡ ]

ＫＡＮＥＤＡ

Kaneda nearly drifted off to sleep when Ranze and Kei stumbled over to him. His dark brown eyes lit up when he looked at Ranze in her new clothes, her shiny black hair complimenting the darkness of her outfit. 

His eyes widened and he sat up. “There you are!” 

“ _Hi..._ ” Kei murmured, walking off to lean against the wall. 

Ranze pulled out one of the crates and sat on it, crossing her legs as she opened a fresh pack of cigarettes. “Glad to see you’ve both made it safe and sound...”

“Which means...?”

“It wasn’t hard to figure out. You both went out to meet with Kei’s `brother’” 

“Mind your own business.” Kei spat, crossing her arms as she looked at him with distaste. 

“Mind your manners!” Kaneda retorted. Ranze only sighed, taking a drag of her cigarette as she watched the two of them go at it like cat and dog.

“WHAT THE HELL DO YOU KNOW ABOUT MANNERS—“

To Kaneda’s greatest relief and surprise, the door bursted open—and there, Yamagata, Kaisuke, and Kuwata stumbled out onto the ground. Ranze gasped and threw her cigarette onto the ground, pushing herself up to run into the arms of Yamagata. 

“ _Yamagata!_ ” Ranze rasped out, catapulting herself into his arms as he’d barely gotten off the ground. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her dark irises held nothing but pain and longing to see one of her best friends. 

“Jesus, kiddo, what happened to you? You’ve gone sad on me!” Yamagata’s voice was rough with emotion as he rubbed her back comfortingly, trying to calm her from the high she experienced from seeing him. 

“Where’d you guys come from?” Kaneda asked, grinning from ear to ear as his eyes flickered to each of his friends. 

“US!? WHERE’VE YOU BEEN?! WE THOUGH THEY CAUGHT YOU!” Kaisuke exclaimed, moving closer to Kaneda in disbelief as if all of it appeared to be a blur. The tiny boy then turned to Kei, raising an eyebrow at her. “Hey... Isn’t she—“

“The girl from the other night! Her name is—“

“TO HELL WITH HER NAME! IT DOESN’T FUCKING MATTER NOW!” Yamagata blared, storming over to Kaneda and the others with Ranze beside him.

Kaneda smiled faintly when he saw Ranze relax a bit. She was exceptionally tense after the past events, and he didn’t want to see her trembling or frightened anymore. Knowing she was with the gang and himself again made him feel content. “What’s the rush, Yamagata?”

“CAN’T YOU REMEMBER!?” Yamagata roared, grabbing Kaneda by his shirt’s collar and nearly holding him up.

“What, that problem with the Clown gang?”

“Yeah. They’ve been going after all the other gangs lately.” Yamagata halted briefly when he caught Ranze’s uneasy expression. “We’ll be fine,” He hastily assured her. “Don’t worry about it, Ranze.”

Kaisuke bit his lip. “They rip everybody off and buy all the drugs they can!” 

Kaneda smiled wryly, and leaned against the wall next to Ranze. “Jeez, I don’t understand how that can be?” He began, looking at the younger girl before turning back to the other boys. “If they’re such drug addicts, how could they beat up healthy guys like you?” 

Yamagata shuffled uncomfortably. “It’s not them. It’s their new leader.”

“I thought that blimp Joker ran the Clowns!” 

“Kaneda, Tetsuo is their new leader... He’s the one that started it...” Kaisuke explained, twiddling his thumbs nervously as he looked at Kaneda, waiting for his reaction.

“SAY WHAT!?” Kaneda roared, moving from the wall. “ _ **TETSUO IS LEADING THE CLOWNS!?**_ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and it’s length lol. I posted such a long chapter today to compensate for the fact that I’ll be preparing for online school and will be a bit more busy. But I’ll keep posting! No worries!


	28. ⌜ Injuries to the Heart ⌟

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆...
> 
> With their brash escapade, the three teenagers stumble out of the premises of the Olympic site with nothing but the clothes on their backs and Kaneda’s motorcycle. A week passes as they take refuge at the Harukiya Bar—and Kei and Ranze have already found themselves cooperating nicely. With Ranze’s depleting mental state, she finds it harder and harder to cope knowing Tetsuo was roaming about. 
> 
> They meet up with the Resistance and discuss plans for the future—and despite Kei’s enthusiasm, Ryu refuses to give her any more input on the mission. That night, Yamagata, Kaisuke, and Kuwata moan and groan at the bar over the “losses” of Kaneda, Ranze, and Tetsuo—only for them to stumble out into the back and catch Kaneda and Ranze with Kei. With the earth-shattering news they bring Kaneda, they’re all left in a constant state of confusion and fury... Will they find a strong verdict for this situation?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I kind of went back on my word. I initially didn’t believe I had ANY free time on my hands today—with my unfinished essay and my three assignments. But I was blessed with immense productivity and was able to complete the majority of them. So, I resorted to opening my laptop and typing up this chapter. Volume 1 is nearing to an end and I hope you’re all excited!

[ ♡ ]

ＲＡＮＺＥ

Ranze felt a shock rattle itself all throughout her body. Her features stiffened and her shoulders tensed as she backed against the wall. “ _You... You heard that?_ ”

A shaky sigh fell from her lips as she began to tremble. Her initial relief when she saw the Capsules stumble into the lot has completely diminished, and it was replaced with a pulse of overwhelming fear. “Bullshit! It can’t be true!” Kaneda spat, shoving his hands into his pockets. 

Yamagata began to shake his head quickly, leaning over to Kaneda with his hands balled into tight fists. “I didn’t want to believe it either, but I saw it with my own eyes!”

“It was definitely him, and he was definitely in charge!”

“I didn’t recognize him at first. Something’s happened to him! He’s changed!” Yamagata explained with pure, unadulterated honesty coating his tone. 

“I can verify that he’s changed...” Everyone turned their attention to Ranze, who had been mostly silent during the interaction. “He was the one that got me out of the hospital... He murdered the staff that were with us, and he didn’t bother listening to what I had to say. What I saw that night... It wasn’t Tetsuo.”

Ranze helplessly slid against the wall before she sat down on the ground—pulling her knees up to her chest. The thought of seeing Tetsuo lead such a vicious, ruthless biker gang with an iron fist... It sickened her to the core. What would’ve happened to them if she stayed at his side? Would she be a part of his plans? She knew he was starting to develop egomaniac tendencies, and she was sure that he wanted her in on his foolish motives. All of a sudden, Kaneda decided to pull Ranze out of her misery and reached over to place comforting a hand on her shoulder. She didn’t expect the surge of heat that radiated off of his hand, even through the fabric of her shirt. She curled her hand around his, keeping his hand secure on her shoulder as she shakily stood up. 

“Kaneda,” Ranze faltered, “What are we going to do about this?”

“I want a meeting of all the leaders. Not just our gang, everyone but the Clowns!” Kaneda answered quickly, there nothing but certainty in his voice as he made such an absurd request. “We need to know how many Clowns there are, and where they hide out!”

Without waiting for any other orders, Yamagata’s face lit up with a devilish smirk. “RUMBLE!! We’re going to war, right?!” 

“Yes, dammit! It’s a matter of honour!” Kaneda said proudly, his eyebrows furrowing as he placed his hands on his hips. “NO BIKERS WORTH A SHIT LET A BUNCH OF JUNKIES KICK THEIR ASSES!!”

“So, where we gonna meet?” 

“How about...” Kaneda trailed off, biting his lip to figure out the designated meeting time for their rendezvous.

“Right here! Harukiya, five o’clock tomorrow!”

“You got it, here at five!” 

“Everybody got that?! Be ready to kick some ass!”

Yamagata followed Kaisuke and Kuwata out the gate. Ranze cleared her throat and turned away, gnawing at her inner cheek as she hugged herself. Did these boys know they were potentially putting their lives on the line? Tetsuo had psychic powers that had no toleration for being tampered with—and taking the gamble of trying to pick up a brawl like this was hopeless. Ranze went through an archive of the worst scenarios of what could go down that night. What if any of her comrades died? How would that affect her already depleting mental state? All these questions couldn’t be answered by her young, frail mind—and if only she could be able to see what risks were ahead...

ꨄ

𝘓𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵...

Ranze didn’t understand what’d been going on with Kaneda—especially after making a declaration of a turf war that would obviously result in blood, gore, and possibly something fatal. She knew Kaneda was worried for her—and it broke her heart knowing he cared about her to such a degree. Was love starting to take effect on the two of them? Even so, Ranze was there and not there simultaneously; close to him but too far to reach. Their recent conversations were stunted and reduced to bouts of awkward silences. She wanted something more from their interactions, and the quiet night that spread all over the vast city of Neo-Tokyo was a proper opportunity. As Kei had gone off to bed, and Ranze had just finished showering. She had walked out to see Kaneda in the yard, smoking a cigarette peacefully.

She watched as he sat there, his posture calm—oddly calm, and she had realized he was most likely in deep thought. She shut the door behind her, and tied her hair up into a ponytail, ignoring the ache in her abdomen and the painful, sinking feeling in her heart.

“A beautiful night, isn’t it?” She said, walking over to him and standing next to him, not trying to obstruct his view of the night sky. 

He nodded and slipped his box of cigarettes to her. “Yeah, tomorrow night won’t be very nice so I’m trying to soak it up while I got it.”

She took the box and opened it, taking one of the cigarettes out and placing it in between her lips. She could practically feel his eyes following her actions and it made her entire body heat up. He held up his lighter and Ranze knelt down beside him, covering the sides of the cigarette with her hands as he lit it. Exhaling a deep breath, she sat beside him and hugged her knees. 

Suddenly, Ranze held up her hand for him to grasp. “You’re right about the fact that tomorrow night won’t be nice. Any of us could meet our end, Kaneda.” She started, her eyes closing as she drifted into a melancholic state. “At least promise me we’ll figure something out by the end of this.” 

Kaneda quickly took her hand before the girl could draw away. His skin was warm and Ranze could feel herself going rigid under his touch. Kaneda’s eyes darkened with an intensity that made Ranze shiver involuntarily. “I’ll be waiting for it,” He whispered the promise as they continued to gawk at the sky. 

[ ♡ ]

ＲＹＵ

With trembling fingers, Ryu flipped through the papers as he strolled with old man down the vacant passage. “Isn’t this...” Ryu began, assessing the papers with a critical mind, “...a copy of the material I’ve already seen, Nezu?”

“It’s a different copy of the same information.” The old man murmured, resting his body against the walking cane he couldn’t be seen without. “Look at the lower corner of page eight, Ryu.”

“Page eight?”

“The owner of this document apparently made some notes on his copy.” Nezu returned, possibly catching a glimpse of the quizzical expression that eased itself onto Ryu’s face.

Ryu’s eyes scoured the margins of the pages. But just as he’d predicted, nothing truly eye-catching popped out to him—at least his eyes feasted themselves upon the crossed out writing of a certain name. “‘AKIRA’?!”

“You think that’s what the budget is for? Akira?!” 

Nezu shook his head. “We can’t be certain, Ryu.” He sighed before continuing to stride calmly. “Officially there is nothing mentioned in the government’s five-year plan for an expenditure of this size.”

“Therefore that would seem to indicate,” The old man took a wheezy inhale before continuing with the tiresome report. “That the money is indeed allocated for the Akira project, and if so... we’re faced with something the scale of which is beyond anything we’ve yet conceived.” 

“If Akira is all that... Then, who is was the strange little kid we tried to help?”

“Even if, as we’ve begun to suspect, our enemies have developed an entire unit of people with paranormal abilities, I doubt we’re facing anything of the power of... say, a nuclear weapon.” Nezu explained, craning his head down as he clicked his cane against the ground. “But with the budget they’ve given themselves, they could destroy this planet a hundred times over.”

The old man halted and dragged his gaze over to Ryu, who was biting his tongue nervously. “Oh... And have you located the capsule?”

“No, not yet.” Ryu answered shortly, shoving his hands into his pockets.

“Is Hayasaka under control? I’ve been given information on her powers, they appear to work miracles. And that girl you call your sister... can she handle her?” Nezu asked, knitting his eyebrows together sternly. 

“Leave that all to me, Nezu. I’ve got a backup standing by...”

[ ♡ ]

? ? ? 

“Haven’t I seen your face somewhere before?”

The man’s eyes widened. “Where was that? I don’t remember you...”

“I remember you very well...” The gruff man said simply before chucking his cigarette onto the ground. He calmly stepped on it before glancing up at the astonished spy. “We were having a lot of trouble the night I saw you.”

“YOU SON OF A—“

As soon as the obscenity left the spy’s lips, he threw his coat off of his body and whipped out a pistol that had been poised at his side. The other man caught onto this and revealed the pocket knife that he’d kept in his pocket—as if he had been dreading this interaction the moment he’d stepped out to scope out Harukiya. He whipped the knife at the man in one swift motion, the sharp force sinking itself into the man’s thigh. He hissed in pain before pulling the trigger of his gun, sending the bullet his assailant’s way before he collapsed onto the ground. Miraculously the other man tripped on the coat that’d been laying on the ground, and had sent him tumbling onto the rebel. 

The spy heaved himself to his feet and roughly grasped the collar of the suspicious man, holding him up as he stepped on his wrist to prevent him from the snatching the gun. “ON YOUR FEET!” He blared, nearly spitting into his face. 

“ARGH— UP YOURS!” The rebellious man growled as he pulled the knife from his knife and drove it into the man’s stomach—sending him off of his attacker. Giving the member of the Resistance the perfect opportunity to scram...

[ ♡ ]

ＫＡＮＥＤＡ

The panic that surged through Kaneda was physically crushing. He imagined the worst-case scenarios in the next fleeting moments—Ranze or any of his comrades being fatally injured, or even killed. The thoughts drained the oxygen from his lungs, leaving nothing but a vacuum behind, and he couldn’t fucking breathe. 

He slammed his fist onto the table, nearly sending Kaisuke into his own state of fear. “If this is everybody, let’s get started!” Kaneda caught of glimpse of Ranze in his peripheral, she was seated next to Watanabe and had been dressed in her typical riding gear. The skin-tight, black turtleneck dress and the navy blue jacket—topped with the eye-catching red beret. Kaneda dawned his regular riding suit as well—the impressive red attire stood out amongst the drab clothing of his comrades, which made him more prominent as the leader. 

“Hey! I’m running a business. You’re not planning on turning this place into a meeting hall, are you?” Exhaled the bartender, exasperated. 

“We’ll be out of here before you know it!”

Kaneda had just moved his hand under the table to grip Ranze’s hand, which had been quivering immensely. He carefully rubbed his thumb against her hand, and Ranze looked at him nervously—her gaze soft with hesitance. Her fingers absentmindedly pressed themselves deeply into his hand, squeezing his hand slightly to signify that she was there. Present in the moment with him, and there to endure it all at his side. Kaneda wished, for a moment that the conflict between the gangs didn’t exist and that everything was normal. He’d be there with Ranze and Tetsuo with him, content.

“We’re all here to fight together, we have each other’s backs, Ranz.” Kaneda murmured, leaning over to her with a smile curving his lips.

A smile flitted across Ranze’s face when she heard what he said, only to look over at Yamagata who’d sauntered over to the table. “Alright, we want them to run along the route we’ve laid out, straight to Pier Twelve!” Yamagata announced, pressing his forearm onto the table and leaning over.

“Along the way, you guys will be picking off all the weaker ones.” 

“Just like that, Yamagata?” One of the bikers scoffed.

“Yeah! We’ll have them right where we want them!” Yamagata clarified.

“We handle the small fry and leave your team to take on that monster.” Kuwata explained, sitting back in his chair as he looked up at the ceiling lazily.

“ _‘Monster’?_ ” Ranze said aloud, letting go of Kaneda’s hand and standing up—which he even followed her movements as he looked just as confused as her. “Yamagata, just refer to him as their leader, not that.”

Yamagata drew his arm across his nose and dismissed Ranze’s request. “He’s our business. The Clowns’ leader is off-limits to the rest of you!” 

“Hayasaka, don’t get so defensive over him. You did see him—“

“But why did you say he’s a monster?” Kaneda shot the biker an accusatory glance before looking back at Ranze. The look on her face was steeled with equal parts of worry and determination as she took a deep breath.

“Kaneda, Ranze, I tried to tell you. Tetsuo’s not like he was before. Something changed him.” Yamagata sighed, looking at both of them as he gently brushed his thumb against the bottle of booze he was holding.

Ranze bit on her tongue as if she had something to counter Yamagata’s remark. She slotted backwards and placed her hands on her hips, looking to the side as she kicked the ground. 

ꨄ

“He ripped a guy’s head open ... without touching him!?” 

Yamagata nodded mutely. There was something entirely different in the way he worded the way Tetsuo acted, but he couldn’t place his finger on why it made his heart sting so much. Ranze traced her glass of water, her eyes narrowing as Yamagata described every fleeting detail of that night. 

“He did similar things at the hospital when he escaped with me...” Ranze looked overwhelmed all of a sudden. “He murdered three of the staff right before my eyes. He used the powers you’re describing now...”

“Making things move and explode...” Kaneda murmured, his eyes trailing over all of his comrades warily.

“Yeah, that kinda shit—incredible super powers! You understand that stuff, I thought so! Psycho... Uh... Psycho...”

“Psychokinesis, Yamagata...” Kaneda deadpanned, hunching over slightly. “That kind of stuff has been coming up a lot lately...”

“How fascinating!” Kei exclaimed, placing her glass on the counter and eyeing all of the younger teenagers. “I want to hear more!”

“Yeah, me too...” Kaneda agreed.

[ ♡ ]

ＲＡＮＺＥ

Ranze knew something was wrong when Yamagata jolted out of his seat. The discomfort she had in her stomach was about a hundred times worse when he started to run for the exits, which she carefully trotted after him—pulling on his shirt slightly.

“Yamagata,” She whispered, her half-dazed mind wondering if he could hear her over the commotion. “Are you sure about going through with this? I’m worried—“

Yamagata tore the patch of the rising sun and mountain off of his tank top before placing it in Ranze’s tiny hand, his warm eyes glaring deeply into her soul. “If you’re worried, keep that in your coat pocket and continue on. I want you to go with Kaneda and Kaisuke, they’re far smarter than me.” 

Ranze remained silent as he bolted up the stairs, leaving her in his dust. All she could do was hold the scrap of fabric against her chest—was this a catalyst for something horrible? She felt something creep up her throat, but she swallowed it down nervously before turning to Kaneda and Kaisuke. 

“You heard him, I’m going with the both of you.” Ranze’s voice was strangled as she moved past both of them, neatly tucking the cloth into her coat pocket before going into the parking garage with Kaneda. 

“We’re going to be alright, aren’t we?” Somewhere in Ranze’s subconscious, Ranze realized she sounded frightened, terrified like a little girl, but she honestly couldn’t give a shit. She couldn’t breathe, the air felt like it was charged with toxin. “Is Yamagata going to be okay—“

“Ranze,” Kaneda replied softly, stopping next to both of their motorcycles and turning to Ranze. He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked at her deeply, his eyes not daring to move themselves away from hers. “We’re going to fucking fight. Fight for our turf, and earn our honour back.”

She stood there silently, her jaw clenched and trying not to show she was fucking afraid. Because she was. She really and truly was, and she had never been more afraid before. She couldn’t lose Kaneda, Yamagata, or Kaisuke—after finding them again, not now and perhaps not ever. 

“You both aren’t going without me!” Kei exclaimed, stomping down the hall irritatedly as Kaneda and Ranze pulled away from each other, getting on their respected motorcycles. “ANSWER ME!”

“Ranze, go ahead. I’ve gotta talk to Kei. I’ll catch up with you and Kaisuke!” Kaneda winked at Ranze, signifying all of his intentions in one look. Ranze swallowed roughly before revving up her bike, nodding at Kei and shooting out of the garage. Onto the road with Kaisuke at her side, the perils Tetsuo laid out for them scattered all across the city of Neo-Tokyo—waiting to unleash their horrifying wrath.


	29. ⌜ Paralyzed With Fear ⌟

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆...
> 
> Kaneda and Ranze find out Tetsuo is the new leader of vicious biker gang “the Clowns”, and is using brute force to steal drugs, steal money, create harm to many of the biker gangs of Neo-Tokyo. Kaneda—who is in denial about the whole ordeal— takes it upon himself to declare a turf war against the Clowns in an attempt to take their honour back. With mostly everyone exuberant with this brash declaration, Ranze takes time to talk alone with Kaneda, as they’re trying to remain calm over such horrifying circumstances.
> 
> The bikers congregate at the Harukiya Bar the next day, devising plans on how they will attack and cover the most ground. Anxious over Yamagata’s well-being, Ranze tries for steer Yamagata from moving ahead—which he abruptly rips off a portion of his shirt (specifically the print of the rising sun and mountain) and gives it to her. With the horrible perils ahead of them, will the Capsules remained unscathed after feeling Tetsuo’s wrath?

[ ♡ ]

ＲＡＮＺＥ

The previous night had taken a toll on all of them, as Ranze found out that afternoon. Kaneda had caught up with herself and Kaisuke, and they were speeding down the highway—biting their tongues as they’d realized they were potentially facing a grave danger. 

“WE’RE GONNA BE LATE, AREN’T WE!?” Kaneda still somehow managed to be determined and tenacious once his motorcycle veered closer to his comrades. He slid a glance over to Kaisuke and Ranze, who seemed to be both caught in a daze. “GUYS! EYES ON THE PRIZE!”

Ranze shook her head quickly and stared at the road ahead of her. “WE’LL BE A BIT LATE, BUT I TRUST THAT YAMAGATA WILL HOLD THEM OFF!” 

“RIGHT! WE BETTER HURRY!” Kaisuke called over the wind, speeding up his bike the best he could—albeit still being mindful over the limitations of his motorcycle. 

[ ♡ ]

ＫＥＩ

Kei skipped out into the empty neighbourhood, her eyes studying her surroundings briefly before they caught sights on a tiny scooter that would pale in comparison to the monstrous vehicles the bikers rode. Her lips curled into a grin as she gazed down at the vehicle. “My, my, my! Isn’t this cute? And with the key still in ignition! Isn’t my luck treating me well?”

Kei was seldom ever nervous, because being an anxious woman on the run had just been plain ridiculous and stupid—at least in her opinion. She was a member of a dangerous rebellion, a group that refused to oblige with the standards of society. She didn’t have time to bite her tongue and stand with her tail in between her legs. If she was going to follow Kaneda and Ranze, she sure as hell was going to do so. She placed herself on the bike, and strapped on the helmet—which’d had been considerably small for her head shape, but it would suffice. She turned the key in the ignition and bike let out a pathetic grumble. 

“ _HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH MY BIKE, YOUNG LADY—!_ ”

Kei glanced up when she heard the old woman’s shrill voice. She pushed her leg against the pavement, sending the bike forwards and down the road. “Thanks so much for the use of your bike, ma’am! I’ll have it back in no time! Promise!” 

[ ♡ ]

ＴＥＴＳＵＯ

Tetsuo scowled, his bike speeding past all of the hooligans that dared to follow him down the freeway. The mental image of their bodies sprawled out on the concrete in pools of gore and blood were vivid, and it made him smirk grotesquely. Blood was a spectacle, blood was satisfying to see when it was drawn. Especially when it came from his enemies who prevented his succession. 

“HOLD IT RIGHT THERE, YOU SON OF A BITCH!”

The biker’s voice snapped him out of his gruesome reverie. Tetsuo craned his head back to look at him, gazing at him with empty, evil brown eyes. 

“ **LAST WEEK YOU KILLED MY BEST FRIEND!** ” The biker hollered, poising the lead pipe at his side as he sped closer to Tetsuo. “ **NOW IT’S _YOUR_ TURN**!”

Tetsuo’s lip quirked, and that little movement triggered the malfunctioning whirl of the biker’s vehicle—sending him whirring to the side and off the freeway, plummeting to his fate of being roadkill. The egomaniac of a teenage boy throw a frosty look to his comrades, before turning back to the road ahead of him, laughing softly. “ _What a dumbass~_ ”

[ ♡ ]

ＹＡＭＡＧＡＴＡ

Yamagata stood in the middle of the vacant lot, his helmet propped at his side and his ears perked with the intent of listening in on his surroundings, for the danger that lurked amongst the crates and the commotion. Yamagata didn’t know Tetsuo’s motives, but he was about find out shortly. The silence soon came to an end, and the cacophony of low rumbles filled his ears—signifying the fact that Tetsuo had come to play. 

“He’s here,” Yamagata murmured, before pressing his fingers to his lips and whistling loudly—calling out to the bikers that lurked the premises unknowingly. “LET’S ROCK!”

“You went a little too far...” Yamagata threw a sharp glance at the space ahead of him, before clenching his hands into tight fists. “DIDN’T YOU, TETSUO!?”

[ ♡ ]

ＣＯＬＯＮＥＬ

“I couldn’t really say... We get so many kids coming here... They come once, maybe twice!” The bartender began, keeping his voice low. “After all, who could remember ‘em all? You know what I’m saying?”

“Do you have a liquor license?”

“Sure I do! Everything here is totally legitimate!”

“And it’s up to date?” 

“See for yourself. It doesn’t expire for a long time, so I’m good shape with my business! Especially with the fact I got two employees who’re spry and—“

The Colonel’s ears immediately pricked up. “Are you capable of disclosing who these employees are?” 

“Erm... I guess? One of ‘em is this lad named Kaneda Shoutarou, and the other is this girl named Hayasaka Ranze. Both of them are about the same age...”

The Colonel’s mind reeled. This was new. Hell, he hadn’t known Ranze had subjected herself to working at the filthy hole that this bar was. Perhaps to make ends meet for herself as she didn’t have a family to provide for her. He knew he’d finally had a lead to her and the boy. This man possibly knew the whereabouts of his employees, and he would be able to bring them to the government facility. 

“Tell me... Do you know where they went? You must have some intel on them if they’re your _precious_ employees...”

[ ♡ ]

ＴＥＴＳＵＯ

As soon as he grazed the premises, Yamagata had sent those goons after Tetsuo. He veered down a narrow passage, his former comrades tailing behind him. “GO SCREW YOURSELVES!” Tetsuo roared, sending crates off their piles to obstruct their paths and possibly shut them out for the duration of the war.

Tetsuo whipped his head back to look back at the massive pile of rubble and wood, smiling devilishly. “SUCKERS!!” He taunted before he heard the deafening battle cry of Yamagata, who’d bolted past him, throwing his helmet onto the younger boy—breaking his motorcycle’s headlights. Causing shards of glass to go flinging into the air, nearly scratching Tetsuo.

“ASSHOLE!” Tetsuo added, with a hiss as he listened in on the hysterical laughter of Yamagata from the other side of the crates. “YOU’RE _DEAD_ MEAT, YAMAGATA!” 

Tetsuo pushed himself up, swerving his bike down the corner as he tailed Yamagata, following him with a vicious killing intent. He wasn’t going to let his “superior” make a fool out of him, not again. He was going to be on top, and he was going to be the one who was victorious in this circumstance. He would redeem himself as his own leader. 

Yamagata headed straight towards the storage building, going up the narrow plank of wood before disappearing into the darkness of the structure. Tetsuo tutted, trailing after him with his forehead crinkled with unadulterated rage. “COME BACK HERE!!”

He flew into the building, and halted his bike. Before he could register the surroundings he’d foolishly placed himself in, the large metal doors of the facility closed themselves. Tetsuo’s eyebrows shot up, shooting his head from side to side to navigate his way through the darkness. “OKAY, TETSUO! YOUR ASS IS OURS!” 

Tetsuo’s stance grew rigid as he was roughly bathed in a stream of light, letting a pathetic whimper escape his lips as he shielded his eyes. “ **NOW!** ” With the cue, a forklift roughly pulled Tetsuo and his motorcycle off of the floor, sending the teenage boy tumbling off his bike onto the ground of the warehouse. 

[ ♡ ]

ＫＡＮＥＤＡ

“There’s no sign of trouble...” Kaisuke sounded thoroughly anxious as the three teenagers sped into the junkyard. “Hey, look at that!” 

One of their comrades had been sprawled out on the ground next to his bike, his chest heaving with ragged pants as if he’d just ran a marathon. Kaneda cleared his panicked thoughts and parked his motorcycle adjacent to the biker. “Where is everyone?”

“With Yamagata... They’ve got Tetsuo cornered in the warehouse!”

All of a sudden, a deep crashing sound came from the warehouse at the far end of the junkyard. The forklifts had busted through the tin walls of the structure, and Ranze made an aggravated gasp before speeding off to the scene. Kaneda watched her, diving face-first into the perils that’d been the very cause of her paranoia. He continued to eye Ranze as her and her motorcycle disappeared into the chaos, and the faint silhouette of Yamagata stumbling out of the warehouse grew apparent to him. Tetsuo loomed over the older boy, Yamagata pushing himself off the ground in terror as he shrieked.

Kaneda was acting off of the hormones and adrenaline that coaxed him to fight. Fight for the people Tetsuo killed, but also fight to restore the safety in the environment. He didn’t want to hurt Tetsuo, but the way he’d terrorized his comrades and the innocent people of Neo-Tokyo... It was hard not to act out. He zoomed to the scene, skidding his bike to a halt when he’d reached Yamagata. Ranze wasn’t in plain sight... Where did she go? Did she not go to Tetsuo and Yamagata?

“KANEDA, BE CAREFUL!” Yamagata cried, heaving himself off of the ground to warn his best friend. 

“Don’t worry,” Kaneda said breathlessly, pulling himself off of his bike. “I’m getting to be an old hand at this!”

“Nice to see you, Kaneda. You’re looking well...” Tetsuo deadpanned, gratified when he noticed the carefulness in Kaneda’s steps as he fiddled with his pockets.

“Can’t complain! How ‘bout you?” Kaneda added slyly. “You seem a little pale...”

Tetsuo’s jaw clenched, narrowing his eyes as his forehead crinkled with disdain. “I have a little headache...”

Kaneda laughed heartily. “I heard you lost your mind!”

“Hah... Still haven’t changed, have you?” Tetsuo gritted out stepped closer to Kaneda menacingly. “STILL THE BIG MAN, ALWAYS HAVING TO FUCKING RUIN EVERYTHING—“

Kaneda couldn’t wrap his head around what’d happened next. Ranze had bolted out of the warehouse on her motorcycle, and leaped onto Tetsuo—sending them both rolling on the ground and her motorcycle pummelling into the crates, destroying the vehicle in the blink of an eye. Ranze had Tetsuo pinned on the ground, her hands holding his wrists to prevent him from escaping.

“KANEDA, DON’T USE THE GUN! YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE WHAT HE’LL DO!” Ranze’s voice abruptly broke the silence as Kaneda opened his eyes, his gun aimed on Tetsuo with the intent of hurting him. Ranze’s eyes watched Kaneda with a thinly veiled desperation as Tetsuo struggled against her firmness.

“SHOOT!! DON’T STOP THIS, RANZE!” Yamagata hollered, coercing Kaneda to just end the war with just a bullet to Tetsuo’s head. But Ranze had been in the right. Out of all them, she knew some of the extent of his powers, and she wasn’t irrational when it came to provoking Tetsuo. But tension only worsened when teenager let out a deafening cry, sending another forklift bursting through the tin walls of the warehouse.

Kaneda cursed and threw himself onto the ground, miraculously sliding out of the vehicles way. But his luck was dying on him, as Tetsuo sent a crate toppling onto him in an attempt to gravely harm him. Kaneda flinched, but the debris had been deflected by some unknown force. He whipped his head to look at Ranze, she had her hand stretched out towards him and she was panting aggressively. She had saved him once again. But the shock of her rescue was enough to make him lose his grasp on the gun, sending it near Yamagata.

Tetsuo had to stifle a smirk as he threw Ranze off of him, sending her against the wall behind him. He let out a loud, agonizing wail as he backed up against the wall, clutching at his hair as if he were madman. “M-My... M-My head!” Tetsuo sobbed, pulling at his hair as if it would help him cope with whatever he had been dealing with.

“You... You bastard...” Kaneda coughed gruffly, pulling himself out of the debris as his eyes scanned Ranze and Yamagata, both of them frozen with terror—but in the older boy’s gloved hands he’d grasped Kaneda’s gun, daring to complete his unfinished business.

“Te... Tetsuo! You’ve caused enough fucking pain for all of us!” Yamagata spat, lifting up the gun to aim at Tetsuo. Ranze scrambled to her feet and ran to Yamagata, her eyes widened with an indescribable fright that sent Kaneda to the verge of tears as he screamed Yamagata’s name. “ **DIE, TETSUO!** ”

“ _ **YAMAGATA, NO MORE!**_ ” Ranze shrieked in the most bloodcurdling way Kaneda’s ears had ever been presented with. She threw herself into Yamagata’s chest, hugging him tightly before an unsettling burst could be heard as blood oozed from Yamagata neck. He helplessly fell onto Kaneda with Ranze clinging to his lower half as if she had something to salvage. Yamagata had been slaughtered at the hands of Tetsuo. 

[ ♡ ]

ＲＡＮＺＥ

Ranze never hated herself more than she did when she clutched the dirtied, lifeless body of her dearest friend. It sent a multitude of harrowing screams and cries as she shook his lifeless body. She’d just noticed the condition he was in and she frantically started to move her hands around his midsection, trying to bring out her “miracle-working” powers to save him. But there would be nothing to save the gruesome death Yamagata had been left with. 

Ranze dropped to her knees before Kaneda pulled her to his side, holding up Yamagata’s limp arm to shoot Tetsuo, murmuring unspeakable curses under his breath. The girl’s body was stiff and aching, and she pressed her hand to the ground as Kaneda sent warning shots Tetsuo’s way. Tiny stems started to break through the ground and wrap themselves around Yamagata’s arm, then to his chest and neck, before going to his midsection and legs. Tiny buds started to pop from the stems, and bloomed into tiny red flowers. This was her way of honouring his hideous death before she was taken by Kaneda, and placed on his bike. 

She blinked at the unfamiliar setting, as she sat behind Kaneda on his motorcycle. She’d then flickered her eyes to Tetsuo, who had been rolling and groaning in agony as he’d been shot by Kaneda earlier. “You... _YOU REALLY SHOT ME!!_ ” Tetsuo cried, frantically trying to clean the blood from his hands. 

Kaneda dragged his gaze back to look at Ranze, who’d shakily wrapped her arms around him. “We’ll win this, Ranz... Watch, just watch!” 

Ranze wasn’t given time to answer as Kaneda drove into the warehouse, gasping quietly as he watched Tetsuo rest against one of the trucks—panting like a laboured wild animal. “STAY BACK!” Tetsuo hissed, clutching his stomach, desperately trying to prevent the blood spilling from the wound. 

Kaneda clicked his tongue and sped his motorcycle into the wreckage, Tetsuo’s cries breaking the glass windshield of his motorcycle—sending the fragments into the air. Ranze buried her face into Kaneda’s back as she held him tightly, not daring to be peeled off of him as he roughly swerved the bike through the debris. Kaneda let out a yelp that alarmed Ranze, before throwing both of them off of the motorcycle. Did Tetsuo send another obstacle their way to try and eliminate them? 

“ **DIE! DIE! DIE!** ” Tetsuo chanted maniacally as he struggled to get up and waddle out of the nearly destroyed warehouse.

ꨄ

Kaneda heaved Ranze up, holding her at his side and looking at her determinedly. “I‘ll fucking end this so the both of us can go home safe... It’s a promise.” Kaneda said softly before snatching a lead pipe from the ground and letting go of Ranze, leading her out of the destruction. 

Ranze trailed behind Kaneda as he poised the pipe up behind his shoulder, sneaking up on the trembling Tetsuo as he’d begged the watchmen for help with his bullet wound. “ _...My stomach... bullet... in... my..._ ” Tetsuo sputtered weakly before Kaneda cracked the pipe onto his head making the younger boy collapse to the ground, writhing in pain.

_ “Ranze, I’m going to need you to leave... Leave before he can take you!” _

Ranze froze, looking around the site frantically as if someone had called out to her. _“I’m not present physically, but mentally I am! I’m going to need you to use your powers to escape!”_ The voice had belonged to the wise, motherly figure of Kiyoko. Ranze bit her tongue, hugging herself. 

_‘What do you mean? I can’t go anywhere if I don’t want to hurt anyone!’_ Ranze protested mentally. 

_ ‘You’re capable of teleportation, Ranze... All I need you to do is take a deep breath, and think about the Fourteenth District. Once you’re there, I’ll lead you where you need to go...’ _

She needed no further encouragement as she felt herself being overcome with a completely different entity. Ranze shut her eyes, and took a deep breath—her odd tranquility eliciting a yelp from Kaneda and another familiar voice. She couldn’t dare to leave Kaneda and Tetsuo in such a state—the two of them fighting as if they never were friends in the past. Kiyoko had taken control over Ranze’s conscience, and was going to steer her out of this mess. But Ranze needed to stay, and she needed to be able to prevent anything else from happening. 

“ _ **RANZE?! RANZE! WHAT THE FUCKING ARE YOU DOING!?**_ ” Kaneda questioned, moving closer to Ranze as she started to fade from the scene as if she had no sort of belonging there.

“ **HAYASAKA RANZE!** YOU’RE NOT PERMITTED TO BE LEAVING THIS SCENE!” Shouted the voice of Colonel Shikishima, his tone thick with authority. 

The realization that she was leaving the circumstance terrified Ranze more than ever, but the flowing of something unfamiliar kept coaxing her to continue. She didn’t have a choice to follow through the requests of Kiyoko. She trusted her anyway, but Ranze knew she wouldn’t be able to live with herself after vanishing from the scene, leaving the person she loved dearly in a new state of turmoil. 


	30. ⌜ A Compass Leading Us to New Places ⌟

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆...
> 
> Kaneda, Ranze, and Kaisuke arrive at the scene where Yamagata and Tetsuo are caught in the midst of brutal brawl. Ranze hurriedly rushes into the warehouse, while Kaneda goes face-to-face with Tetsuo, trying to distract him from causing more havoc on the teenagers. With his pounding migraine, Tetsuo starts to act out and luckily, Ranze holds him down to warn Kaneda and Yamagata about shooting him, knowing his powers could go haywire at any time. 
> 
> But the warnings are futile as Yamagata attempts to shoot Tetsuo, which results in his gruesome murder—which drives Ranze and Kaneda over to the edge. Kaneda attempts to use firepower to fight back against Tetsuo, and miraculously shoots him in the stomach. But with such a fatal wound... Tetsuo is going crazier and crazier by the minutes, and Ranze disappears under the guidance of Kiyoko. How will this drama conclude?

[ ♡ ]

ＫＡＮＥＤＡ

Kaneda hadn’t familiarized himself with the hideous wails of Tetsuo, as he backed against the wall. He hadn’t noticed the capsule fall from his pocket, clinging onto the asphalt. The older boy let out an anguished yelp, before collapsing to the ground, scurrying to grasp the capsule before it could be found in the wrong hands. His pitiful efforts were useless as Tetsuo had caught onto what he was chasing after and brought the medication into his gloved hands. 

“It was _you_ , wasn’t it?” Tetsuo smirked, clutching his side as he eyed Kaneda like a wild animal. “Thanks for saving me!”

“Heh... If you want it so bad, it’s all yours...” The older boy muttered, and casted a glance over his shoulder to look at the Colonel. 

The Colonel was frozen in shock, watching with wide eyes as the egomaniac of a teenager brought the capsule to his chapped lips. “First, I’m taking this! Then I’ll take care of you!” Colonel Shikishima lunged forward as the capsule was out of his reach and he couldn’t snatch it from the boy’s hands, not like he could try to as Tetsuo was a lethal ticking time bomb.

“ _ **STOP!! DO NOT SWALLOW THAT CAPSULE!!**_ ” 

Kaneda went still, and sighed exasperatedly. Did the old goon really try to convince Tetsuo not to swallow it? Tetsuo was at the point where didn’t give a shit about the orders he was given—as he was under the growing impression he was his own boss.

“You’ll **die** right here if you swallow!” He said sternly, striding towards the teenage boy who crinkled his forehead with hatred. “ ** _DO YOU WANT TO DIE!?_** ”

Suddenly, Tetsuo started to moan—an elongated, agonized wail that great louder and louder as he arched his back, pulling at his hair as if he were going crazier and crazier as the minutes ticked away. His wails turned into high-pitched shrieks as he bended back—his pain growing into a spectacle as the people who gathered around watched with wide, fearful eyes. Kaneda’s eyes followed the movements of Tetsuo as he fell back onto the gravel, shaking erratically as if something sinister had been triggered deep within him. By the time he landed onto the ground, Colonel Shikishima had already scrambled over to him, barking orders at his colleagues in an attempt to salvage Tetsuo. 

“ **I HOPE YOU BURN IN HELL AFTER TAKING** **_MY_** **GIRL** **AND _MY_ BEST FRIEND!!**” Kaneda roared, before he scowling once guards starting throwing themselves at him and pulling him back. His face reddened with fury as the strict figure looked back at him, as if he were looking down at him and his problems. “ ** _WHAT’RE YOU LOOKIN’ AT, BALDY!?_** ” 

“SHUT YOUR INSOLENT MOUTH!” The Colonel returned gruffly, standing up as he hands clenched into intimidating fists. 

“TOO BAD ABOUT YOUR PILL! WEREN’T YOU PLANNING ON GETTING IT BACK, HUH!?” Kaneda mused, struggling against the soldiers as he violently kicked in an attempt to defend himself from their roughness. “YOU GOT RANZE AND TETSUO, SO BE GRATEFUL WITH WHAT YOU GOT!”

“How much do you know about the capsule!?” He hissed, his eyebrows shooting up with astonishment once both of the teenager’s names left Kaneda’s lips. “And don’t you attempt to throw their names around, you foolish boy!”

Kaneda noticed his agitation and laughed softly. “I know enough. So sorry for putting it to waste... And I’ll say their names as much as I please, you bald _old_ dote!”

One of the guards containing Kaneda whipped his head around to look at the Colonel. “Sir, what shall we do with him?” The guard breathed, holding the writhing boy securely. 

“Bring him along, but separate him from the others,” The Colonel said, pulling away from the scene as if he’d gotten a proper taste of the whole ordeal. He kept his hands latched behind his back, straightening his posture. “Don’t let his age deceive you, he’s extremely dangerous. We don’t know what kind of _influence_ he had on Tetsuo and Ranze.”

Kaneda threw his head back to gaze at the corpse of his dear friend, his eyes shooting Yamagata’s lifeless body a look of solemness. “ _ **YAMAGATAAAA!**_ ” 

The Colonel rolled his eyes at Kaneda’s cry, turning back to his colleagues. “As soon as the helicopter lands, you’re to put this body on board. Understand—“

As if this nightmare of an event could get any worse, Tetsuo started to groan—his body lifted itself up as if he were undead. Saliva bubbled up at the corners of his mouth, and his head lolled back unnaturally as stood up. Kaneda watched with his eyes in saucers, and his jaw on the ground. His fragile dark brown eyes were glossy with despair, and seeing Tetsuo stand up—mildly unscathed—made his gears grind uncontrollably. 

Kaneda throw himself off forwards, tears nearly slipping from his eyes. “YOU!!” He screeched, fighting against the harsh grips of the guards before peeling himself off of them and running towards Tetsuo. “WHY COULDN’T YOU STAY DEAD!?”

“ ** _HALT!! STOP HIM, YOU FOOLS!!_** ”

Tetsuo’s eyes changed back to their cruel emptiness as his powers began to act up again—debris floating into the air and nearly hitting the Colonel. Which elicited the helps of many of the guards, who started to pull out their firearms. Kaneda’s heart skipped a beat when the horrifying sight of the remains of the warehouse catapulting itself into directions of many guards. Kaneda stumbled back into a space, before the sharp, feminine voice of Kei snapped him out of his miserable daze. 

“ ** _GET OVER HERE! JUST MOVE!_** ” Kei shrieked, gesturing to the putrid little bike she’d stolen from some place. But that little detail didn’t matter to Kaneda as he’d bolted up to his feet and booked it to the older girl. He hopped onto the bike, his fingers convulsing with the cheap leather of the seat as Kei drove away from the destruction.

More bursts appeared to go off from behind them, making Kaneda bite his tongue in suspense knowing Tetsuo was the fool behind them all. He trusted Kei in the fact that they’d escape this terrorizing circumstance, at least with the clothes on their backs. But the joyous thoughts of their exodus were cut short with the horrifying sight of one of the construction vehicles hanging over their heads. Kei swerved the bike to the right awkwardly, jerking both of the teenagers off of the motorcycle and onto the ground—covered by the debris. 

[ ♡ ]

ＫＥＩ

“ _Kaneda_ ,” Her voice was calm, but hurried as their lives were on the line. She didn’t want to be left with another dead man on her hands to deal with. “Talk to me, you fool! We need to get out of here and find Ranze!”

The echoing sound of footsteps started to fill the girl’s ears as she paused briefly, her eyes focusing on the rubble scattered all over the ground. “Busted...” Tetsuo laughed maniacally as Kei whipped her head around to look at him, her eyes filled with terror.

“You’re... You’re Tetsuo, aren’t you?” She faltered, her hands clutching at the metal surface she’d knelt on. “Why are you doing this!? Kaneda and the others were you friends! Or have you forgotten that!?”

“ ** _WELL, THEN IT LOOKS LIKE HE HAS A NEW REPLACEMENT... TO DIE WITH!!_** ” Tetsuo blared, throwing his hands up into the air with frustration.

“ **—WAIT!!** ” Beamed the Colonel’s voice from the far-end of the passage—the man carefully striding closer and closer to the teenagers. 

“OH, SHUT UP!” Tetsuo countered.

“HEAR ME OUT!” The Colonel shuddered and took a deep breath to steady himself. “We developed that drug, and there’s much more where that came from... so if you come with me—“

“M-Mind your own business!” Tetsuo spat, but there was a hidden ounce of interest in his tone.

“Where else can you go, Shima Tetsuo!?” 

“I-I... I can worry about that _later!_ ” Tetsuo returned shortly, his tone sounding more and more defeated with the way the Colonel worded the offer—he was starting to drift farther and farther from his own resistance. 

“Come with me now... And accept who you are!” The Colonel declared, shooting his hand out to Tetsuo as the helicopter hovered over the premises. “ **NUMBER 41!!** ”

“ _...Number 41?_ ” Tetsuo retorted back in disbelief, the Colonel only smiled brightly.

“ ** _Precisely!!_** ”

[ ♡ ]

ＲＡＮＺＥ

Ranze swallowed hard, biting her lip as her stomach churning unnaturally. Her internalized self-hatred grew haywire as she tried to pick Kaneda and Tetsuo, continuing to fight with such fury. The gears in her head were whirring uncontrollably as she rested herself against the brick wall of a building. 

“ _You’ve done well, Ranze,_ ” Kiyoko’s echoing voice broke the silence at last. “ _Just take slow steps forward and you’ll find your new home._ ”

Ranze’s eyes widened as she began to move forward. “ _New home?_ ”

“ _Perhaps, it isn’t your new home,_ ” Kiyoko corrected herself. “ _But it is a stop along the way that you’ll grow attached to. I’m sure of it._ ”

“ _Who will I meet there? Will they help me?_ ” Ranze sounded even more confused now. Just where was Kiyoko planning on taking her, and would the people she would meet at this place cater to her properly?

“ _You’ve been to this place before, my dear. Your foster mother took you here to worship and praise Kami._” Kiyoko explained, her voice soothing with tranquility. “ _Look up. You’ve reached **Lady Miyako’s Temple**._” 

Ranze fell silent for a moment as she looked up, her eyes glowing with astonishment as she gawked at the large, opulent temple. It was stained with a pristine red and accents of gold and green. It was just like how her memories described it to her, it was the same place she’d went to worship at when she was child. 

“ _Walk inside and meet your new fate, Ranze. You’ll be safe here._ ”

“ _I see,_ ” Ranze breathed, walking up the marble stairs carefully as she dusted off her dirtied dress. “ _I-I’m safe..._ ”


End file.
